Heart of Steel
by Way of the Sheikah
Summary: Haunted by all that took place on Shadow Moses Island, former FOXHOUND operative Solid Snake becomes a Smasher in a mysterious new world. Suffering from guilt and a bleeding heart, his only hope for self-forgiveness, and survival, may lie in the hands of intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran. Samus/Snake.
1. Chapter 1: The Shadow Moses Incident

**DISCLAIMER****: I don't own either the Super Smash Bros or Metal Gear Solid series. Smash Bros belongs to Nintendo and MGS belongs to Konami (and Kojima-san!). This story idea and all events and scenarios herein (excluding this chapter) are mine, however.**

**Chapter One: The Shadow Moses Incident**

"Hurry up Otacon, the air raid's starting!"

Legendary mercenary Solid Snake ran as fast as he could as he navigated through the underground parking garage. His partner, Dr. Hal Emmerich (also known as Otacon), struggled to keep up with the soldier as the former FOXHOUND base on Shadow Moses Island shuddered from bunker-busters raining down from above. Unfortunately his right ankle, which he had twisted hours earlier, hindered his movement considerably. The sound of military boots clattering in sync behind them urged Otacon forward as he hurried to the jeep where Snake was waiting.

Ignoring what felt like walking on pure fire, the former engineer jumped into the driver's seat as Snake brought out his FAMAS G2 assault rifle. He slid a new clip into the chamber and cocked a bullet into the chamber. After discarding the spent clip, Snake took cover behind the jeep's turret, which would only work if the jeep started. Conveniently enough for the both of them, the jeep's last driver had left the keys in the ignition.

The engine coughed as Otacon turned the key, but the jeep refused to start.

"It's flooded, Snake!" Otacon shouted as he fought with the ignition, slamming the gas pedal to the floor every time he tried it. "Give me some time, I'll get it!"

One of the doors suddenly burst open and Genome Soldiers came pouring through, assault rifles aimed at the ready.

"There they are; kill them!" one of them ordered before gunfire echoed throughout the garage.

Snake dropped from the turret and ducked behind the jeep with Otacon, bullets hailing down on them.

"Shit!" Snake shouted over the noise. "Get the jeep working Otacon, I'll hold them off!"

The former soldier returned fire, dropping a few soldiers in pools of their own blood while more rushed in, some of them equipped with riot gear and shields. Otacon continued to fight with the ignition until he finally resorted to hitting the wheel. He gave the dashboard a swift kick and the engine roared to life.

"Hurry Snake, get in!" Otacon yelled as he shifted to first gear while Snake climbed up and manned the rear turret. Its suppressive fire forced the soldiers back and decimated half of their remaining numbers as Otacon drove off into the tunnel, the survivors firing after them.

* * *

The lights above the tunnel flickered with each bombardment as they drove along, Snake on the lookout for any automated turrets or Genome Soldiers.

"At this rate Snake, I think we'll make it. I took a look at the schematics of this tunnel before I left to find you, and it's only about three or so miles to the end," Otacon said over the engine.

"Good, just keep going. Something tells me we're not out of this yet," he growled.

He continued keeping an eye out for threats, the adrenaline that pumped through his veins keeping him on full alert. An ear-piercing scream caught his attention. He heard the sound of another jeep approaching from their six.

"_Snake!" _

Snake looked around for the source of that familiar voice. He swerved the turret to the rear and was stunned at what he saw. Another jeep was indeed following them and the shirtless driver was someone he thought he had finally managed to kill.

"Not yet, Snake!"

"Liquid!" Snake yelled as he readied the turret.

Liquid Snake opened fire with his assault rifle, Otacon swerving back and forth to avoid the incoming fire. Solid Snake ducked behind the turret for cover as he held down the double triggers, forcing Liquid to back off a bit. He maintained his suppressive fire, keeping Liquid at bay. For a moment he lost sight of the other jeep until it reappeared directly behind them.

Liquid rammed Snake's jeep hard, knocking Otacon's glasses to the floor while Snake stumbled. Otacon frantically searched for his precious glasses while he tried to keep the jeep straight. Liquid slowed slightly and pulled up to their right, so that he was directly parallel to them. He swung his FAMAS around in a split second to aim at Snake, a triumphant grin on his face.

To Snake, everything happened in slow motion. He saw Liquid's FAMAS pointing right at him, Liquid grinning as he squeezed the trigger back, unleashing over ten rounds of pure, life-ending steel per second. Bracing himself, Snake gripped the turret handle as he leaped, twisting his body around in a horizontal spin as he dodged the incoming fire. He felt the bullets move past him; a few managed to graze the outer fabric of his Sneaking Suit before he landed.

Before Liquid could react, Snake leapt onto his jeep and kicked the rifle away. He grabbed Liquid's shoulder and head butted him. The blonde-haired leader of FOXHOUND screamed in pain as Snake grabbed his disoriented head and punched him repeatedly in the face. Crimson blood flew everywhere as Snake pummeled Liquid's face in.

"Snake look! Daylight!" Otacon yelled in delight as a faint glow came into focus at the end of the tunnel.

Satisfied, Snake leaped back onto Otacon's jeep as the engineer readjusted his newly found glasses. They were about halfway there when another hit from the side knocked them both off balance. Liquid had regained consciousness.

"If I go down to Hell Snake, I'm taking you with me!" he screamed with blind rage as he locked wheels with Otacon's jeep, accelerating both vehicles at the same time.

"We're gonna crash!" Otacon screamed with fear as he repeatedly hit the brakes. The two jeeps smashed into the wall as they rolled over. Snake felt himself flung from the turret.

There was lots of pain; the world was spinning and becoming a blur. A bright light...then darkness…

'_Snake...Snake, wake up...' _

Solid Snake slowly opened his eyes, scorching daylight filling his vision. He blinked several times and struggled to sit up. To his surprise, he didn't feel any pain at all. His eyesight gradually returned, revealing an endless array of trees that surrounded him. He felt the soft grass beneath him as he stood up. He shook his head to ward off the remnants of disorientation he felt. That was some crash, all right.

What should have been an arctic landscape was instead a forest of trees. It didn't take the mercenary long to figure out that he was far away from Shadow Moses Island, where he should be.

"Where the hell am I?"

* * *

**And that's the end of chapter one. Chapter two should be up soon, so let me know what you guys think in a review. Sorry to everyone who's been waiting patiently for me to update LAH, life has gotten in the way and I had to give up fan fiction for some time before I could resume writing. Anyway, this is another fic I'll be writing along with LAH, so expect updates to both fics. Thanks for reading, and please review!**


	2. Chapter 2: Forest of Mysteries

**DISCLAIMER****: I don't own either the Super Smash Bros or Metal Gear series of games. Smash Bros belongs to Nintendo / HAL Laboratories (Hah, funny, the word HAL I mean. Man, I'm such a geek...), and Metal Gear Solid belongs to Konami. This particular story however, belongs to me and me alone.**

**NOTE:**** I've tried to make the dialogue from the flashbacks as close to the real thing as possible. Just realize that I'm writing it based on memory and the help of a game script I found on GameFAQs. Oh, and if you don't like long, drawn out conversations, I'm sorry but Metal Gear Solid is a game that is infamous for its lengthy cinematic sequences. Personally, I love them since it's like watching a live-action movie where you play the main protagonist, but some people might not care for them so much. **

**Chapter Two: Forest of Mysteries**

Snake continued trying every frequency on his Codec, but all he got in response was static. He had tried Colonel Campbell, Mei Ling, Naomi, Nastasha, Otacon...still nothing.

Frustrated, he turned off his Codec and checked his equipment once more. Nothing seemed to be missing; he still had his .45 SOCOM pistol, FAMAS assault rifle, three fragmentation and two chaff grenades, two sticks of C4 with a detonator for each, five MRE rations he had saved, and a few spare clips of ammo for both guns. Even his cigarettes were still on his person, although he only had a few left.

'_Well, at least some things are going my way...'_ he thought with a grim smile as he started off, not knowing what path led where. From the direction the wind was blowing and the sun's current position, he guessed that he was heading in a northwestern direction, but of course he couldn't be completely certain. He didn't even know where he was.

However, considering he had spent the majority of the past forty-eight hours freezing his ass off, being lost in the woods was a cakewalk compared to Shadow Moses. He'd been in far worse places before and knew perfectly well how to survive in the wilderness thanks to his FOXHOUND training with Master Miller (and Big Boss' personal lessons).

At least he had a dirt path to follow, which indicated that someone had once trekked though this place. His only eventual issue would be a water source, but there was bound to be some kind of river or stream on the way where he could refill his half-spent canteen. The real problem that was bothering him was how he ended up here of all places. And where exactly _was_ here?

'_Let's see,' _he thought. _'The last thing I remember was beating the crap out of Liquid and Otacon yelling something about a bright light. I leaped for the other jeep and next thing I know we get hit in the side, darkness, and then I'm here...damn, nothing seems to add up.' _

The forest itself was lush with vegetation; no different than the forests of Alaska except the climate was much warmer. Snake spotted what he thought to be mostly pine and evergreens, and occasionally there was a maple or birch tree here and there. The path he was on was a bit weather-worn, but overall it was intact.

'_Good thing, too. Otherwise I'd have never known how to distinguish between what was a part of the path and what wasn't…'_

After what he guessed was about two hours of walking, there was still nothing around him but forest. Slightly tired, he decided to rest for ten minutes and break open a couple of rations for lunch.

Minus the wind and occasional bird chirps, the setting was completely quiet and tranquil—a huge difference from a heavily guarded military instillation under the control of rebellious next-generation soldiers. It was the first time in days he could actually sit down and recuperate without keeping a wary hand resting on his SOCOM.

Sighing from both exhaustion and a full stomach, he leaned up against a tree and closed his eyes. He enjoyed the peaceful silence and the warm cooking fire that he had built for himself before he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_Gripping his SOCOM tightly, Snake cautiously made his way into the bathroom where he thought the Genome Soldier he had been trailing had ran into. He knew Meryl was around here somewhere, and he had a strong suspicion that the soldier he followed had some answers._

_Checking around the corner, he stealthily sidestepped past the three sinks, focusing on the stalls._

'Obviously it's the last one...'

_He lined up against the last stall and readied his SOCOM while he steadied his shallow breathing. After taking a silent breath, he pushed the door open and immediately aimed for where he thought the Genome Soldier's head would have been. But there was no one there, sans a green uniform on the toilet seat. _

_He frowned; something didn't feel right._

"_Don't move!" said a feminine voice behind him, the click of a FAMAS assault rifle pointed directly at his back. He slowly raised his hands, SOCOM in hand._

"_That's the second time I've been able to sneak up on the legendary Solid Snake."_

_Taking a chance, Snake abruptly turned around. He let down his guard when he saw a girl with neck-length red hair and chocolate-brown eyes staring back at him. Her FAMAS was lowered, just below her jungle green tank top. Snake eyed her up and down, never expecting this woman, whom he had only seen in real life once in disguise, to be so...beautiful. He tried to avert his gaze when he noticed she was only wearing a pair of green panties beneath her tank top, exposing her toned, milky white legs. _

'That explains the uniform back there,'_ he thought, trying in vain to push inappropriate images out of his head. This was the Colonel's niece he was ogling for crying out loud!_

"_You're Meryl?" he asked. "There's no way you could pass for a man for long."_

_She gave him a questioning look. "What do you mean?" She paused before she remembered where they were. "Hey! Men aren't allowed in here!"_

_Snake raised his hands up to calm her down, searching for the right words._

"_I had no idea you were so...feminine," he explained, struggling to keep his eyes from wandering again._

_Meryl crossed her arms__, her face scrunched in obvious disapproval. "__This is no time to try and hit on me, Snake. Besides, it's a waste of time. When I joined up they gave me psychotherapy to destroy my interest in men."_

"_Same smart mouth. You're Meryl all right," Snake said with a smirk. "Are you hurt?"_

_She shook her head. "Not yet. After all, I was disguised as a Genome Soldier."_

"_So why'd you change? You'd be better off dressed like one of them."_

_Meryl sighed, weariness flashing behind those entrancing eyes of hers. "I got tired of disguising myself. The truth is...the uniform smelled like blood."_

_When she turned, Snake noticed a familiar symbol on her __upper arm. He knew he had seen it before, but he couldn't quite place it._

"_What's that mark?"_

"_Huh?" __Meryl glanced down at the picture of a grinning fox firing a machine gun on her upper right arm. "Oh, this? It's a paint tattoo. It's not real. I was a fan of FOXHOUND way back. When guys like you and my uncle were in it. None of that gene therapy like there is today. You guys were real heroes."_

_Snake turned away, staring at the wall as if he were looking into the distance._

"_There are no heroes in war. All the heroes I know are either dead...or in prison. One or the other."_

"_But Snake, you're a hero. Aren't you?"_

_Snake shook his head. __"I'm just a man who's good at what he does. Killing. There's no winning or losing for a mercenary. The only winners in war are the people."_

_Meryl nodded in agreement. "That's right. And you fight for the people!"_

_Snake continued looking away. "I've never fought for anyone but myself. I've got no life. No ultimate goal."_

"_Come on."_

_Snake tore his eyes away from the tiled bathroom wall and looked into hers. She probably wouldn't understand, but it was worth a shot._

"_It's only when I'm cheating death on the battlefield. The only time I feel truly alive."_

"_Seeing other people die makes you feel alive huh? You love war and don't want it to stop...is it the same with all great soldiers throughout history?" she asked somberly._

_Snake quickly changed the subject. Talking about his feelings wasn't something he was good at; they only got in the way of the objective. Plus, he hardly even knew the girl, even though she was Campbell's niece. He suddenly remembered how her Codec was abruptly disconnected the last time she talked to him. It was why he was here in the first place._

"_Why didn't you contact me?"he asked._

_Meryl walked out of the stall, remembering the gunfire and how she was almost spotted while Snake rescued Otacon. "My Codec was broken."_

"_Is that all?"_

"_Shouldn't you just be happy that we met up like this? How did you recognize me in disguise?"_

_Snake smirked. "I never forget a lady."_

'Oh, so he was going to play _that_ game. Typical male,_' she thought to herself. "So there's something you like about me, huh?"_

"_Yeah, you've got a great butt,__" he said with another smirk._

_The nerve of that__ pervert! First he had commented on her eyes during their first conversation via Codec, and now he was talking about her ass? So much for the "legendary" Solid Snake her uncle had always preached to her about. She wondered briefly what he'd think about this, an evil plan coming to mind. She made a mental note to ask him later and decided to play along._

"_Oh, I see," she said.__ "First it's my eyes, now it's my butt. What's next?"_

"_On the battlefield, you never think about what's next."_

_They stood in silence for awhile before discussing the situation while Meryl changed into a fresh pair of pants she found earlier. They talked about how the negotiations were going; how they would have to destroy Metal Gear if they couldn't find all the detonation override keys._

"_Metal Gear is in an underground maintenance base to the north," Snake said. Meryl's eyes lit up with excitement._

"_Take me too!__ I know this place better than you do," she stated. _

_Snake shook his head. __"You'll just slow me down. You don't have enough battle experience."_

"_I won't slow you down. I promise."_

"_And what if you do?"_

_Meryl thought about this a moment before answering. "Then you can shoot me."_

"_I don't like to waste bullets," Snake warned. She ignored the warning; whether he liked it or not, she was coming along._

"_Got it, I'll be careful." _

_Meryl paused as she made her way over to the sink. She stared at herself in the mirror while Snake silently followed her with his eyes. _

"_Y'know...I don't use __makeup the way other women do," Meryl started. "I hardly ever look at myself in the mirror. __I've always despised that kind of woman. I always dreamed of becoming a soldier. But I was wrong. It wasn't really my dream. My father...he was killed in action when I was younger.__"_

_Snake understood. "You wanted to follow in your father's footsteps, huh?"_

_Meryl stared at him through the mirror. "Not really. I thought that if I became a soldier, I could understand him better."_

"_So, are you a solider yet?" Snake asked._

_Meryl lowered her head__, tightening her grip on the sink "__I thought I was until today. But…now I understand." _

_She turned back to face Snake. "The truth is, I was just afraid of looking at myself. Afraid of having to make my own decisions in life. But I'm not going to lie to myself anymore."_

_She turned back to the mirror, determination in her eyes. "It's time I took a long, hard look at myself...I want to know who I am, what I'm capable of. I want to know why I've lived the way I've lived until now. I want to know."_

_Snake glanced down at his SOCOM__ as he locked another clip into it. Those were the kind of questions he asked himself when he was her age. In fact, now that he thought about it, he still didn't truly know who he was. _

_He'd been raised by soldiers, trained by soldiers...but was being a soldier always who he __was supposed to be? Was warfare and death all he was ever meant to experience in life? He had hoped that quitting FOXHOUND and retreating to Alaska after the Outer Heaven and Zanzibar Land incidents would give him the answers. But so far they hadn't._

"_Take a good look. You won't get another chance for a while. You should wash your face while you're at it," he said. "This isn't a training exercise. Our lives are riding on this. There are no heroes or heroines. If you lose, you die a dog's death." _

_Snake hated to be so blunt with someone like her, but it was the truth.__ These guys were professionals. They knew precisely how to kill and wouldn't hesitate one second to pull the trigger, no matter who was lined up in their sights. Meryl picked up her head, staring back through the mirror into his hardened, piercing blue eyes._

"_Yeah..."she trailed off._

_As Snake put away his SOCOM, he noticed Meryl's discarded FAMAS lying on the ground._

"_Is that FAMAS still functional?" he asked._

"_Yeah, but it's out of ammo."_

_Snake noticed the bulky pistol holstered on Meryl's thigh. "Where'd ya get that Desert Eagle?"_

_Meryl removed the weapon from its holster and held it up in the air. "Oh, this__?" she asked.__ "I found it in the armory. It's a .50 caliber Action Express. There was a SOCOM pistol too, but I chose this."_

_Snake grumbled to __himself as he took out his SOCOM again and looked it over, its metallic surface reflecting the artificial lighting above them. _

"_Hmm__...So I got a leftover, huh? Isn't that gun a little big for a girl?"he said. _

"_Don't worry, I can handle it," __Meryl replied with determination. Snake spun his SOCOM around until the handle was upside down and facing her._

"_C'mon. Use my .45,__" he insisted._

"_Listen, I've used a gun like this since I was eight years old. I'm more comfortable with it than I am with a bra." _

_To emphasize her point, she took out a clip from her bra and loaded a new clip into her Desert Eagle. Snake raised an eyebrow as she cocked a new bullet into the chamber._

'Obviously I've got a lot to learn about this girl...'_ Snake thought with amusement. Yep, definitely the Colonel's niece all right._

"_If we're going to go to the north, we'll have to go through the Commander's Room on this floor. The overland route is blocked by glaciers. C'mon!"_

_Snake stared __at Meryl's retreating figure briefly before following her out of the woman's bathroom, SOCOM at the ready._

* * *

It was nighttime when Snake awoke from his deep slumber, memories of Meryl flooding his mind. The sadness in his heart started to return, but he pushed it aside when he remembered where he was. The fire had long died out (somehow not causing a forest fire to his relief), so it took a moment for his eyes to adjust.

'_Damn…must have been more tired than I thought…'_ he thought with discontent as he picked himself up and fumbled for an emergency flashlight he had stored inside his Sneaking Suit. He had broken his thermal goggles back on Shadow Moses in the fight against Liquid's Russian-made Hind D helicopter gunship. Locating potential predators in the dark would be much more difficult.

Glancing up at the full moon's position as he finally found his flashlight, he guessed it to be close to midnight. It was then that he heard an abrupt howl. Snake tried to identify the noise but couldn't.

'_Sounds like a wolf, but not quite. Almost as if it's somewhat more…sinister…'_

Drawing his SOCOM, he crossed the flashlight with one hand diagonally below the pistol and trained it on a nearby bush. He heard more howls, and they seemed much closer than before.

Before he could blink, something large and black tackled him to the ground and knocked his SOCOM and flashlight out of his hands. He fought with the beast's head as it tried to bite his face off with its sharp fangs. He managed to slide his hands around the beast's neck and snap it to the right. Its eyes glowed brightly for a brief moment before it collapsed on him, limp. Snake pushed the loathsome creature off of him as he stood up. He retrieved his fallen SOCOM and flashlight before returning to the body.

It certainly didn't look like your average wolf or wolf-dog; more like a cross between a wolf and a zombie. Its ragged gray coat only covered the main parts of its body, while the rotting flesh on its legs and face were exposed. It also had what appeared to be armored plating on its shoulders. Not to mention one of the worst stinks he had ever came across.

'_I must be going crazy if I'm seeing zombie dogs now. This is like a bad horror movie…Just where in the hell am I?'_

More growling encircled him as he brought his SOCOM up immediately. There were a dozen; no, make that three dozen of the creatures circling him. And there weren't only zombie-like wolf-dogs either. Skeletal dogs alit with fire in their empty eye sockets were also part of the pack now.

Snake was completely surrounded as the first row readied to strike, their jaws open with jagged, bony teeth.

'_Shit…I don't have nearly enough ammo to take them all out,'_ he thought bitterly._ "Explosives would be dangerous here…guess I'll just have to take them out the old fashioned way. Like a Snake…'_

The first wolf leapt right as Snake met it with a spin kick, shattering its spine on impact and flinging it off to the side where it remained, immobile. Angered, the rest of the monsters lunged at the soldier all at once.

Snake fired off rounds from his SOCOM, hitting a few as more came at him. They bit and tore at his Sneaking Suit, some managing to puncture through the Kevlar lining and spilling blood, but Snake continued fighting and shooting.

The battle was over in a few moments. Snake half stood, panting heavily over the corpses of the zombie wolves and skeletal dogs. He grimaced as he felt the various punctures and wounds across his body. There wasn't much he could do though; unfortunately, he had used his last medkit fighting Metal Gear REX in the underground maintenance base.

It was then when he noticed that one final wolf remained.

Angered by the slaying of its comrades it prepared to strike, not expecting much of a fight since its prey had been weakened. This one was smart; it had chosen to let the others do the fighting first, allowing it to finish the job once the rest were taken care of and reap the spoils all by itself.

Snake squeezed the trigger, but only a faint clicking sound came out. By the time he realized that his SOCOM was out of ammo, the wolf was on top of him. He struggled with it, losing his energy fast. Darkness encroached into his eyesight as he fought to stay alive, using every last bit of strength to keep its vicious fangs away from him.

Just as its teeth started to lock around his neck, the wolf went limp, dead. Snake shook his head to clear his vision and pushed off the carcass, ignoring the repulsive smell. A wooden arrow stuck out of its throat, the head pierced clean through the other side of the body.

'_Who did that?_' he thought as he looked around until he saw him, the shadowy figure kneeling and pointing its bow at him.

Snake moved towards the man, putting his hands up like a non-combatant. He felt fatigue take over as he finally succumbed to his wounds. He felt a pair of arms catch him as he fell, his knees giving out as he was lowered gently to the forest floor on his back. A figure in green clothing with a sword on his back was all he remembered before he lost consciousness.

* * *

**I shouldn't have to tell you who the figure was who saved Snake, unless you're a complete newbie to the world of Nintendo. Next chapter will be up soon. Expect more flashbacks as the story goes on. Not sure yet how long this story's going to eventually be, though. Leave me a review to let me know how you guys like it so far!**

**-Chief**


	3. Chapter 3: Of Mercenaries and Smashers

**NOTES:**** Wow, I'm very impressed with the number of reviews I've received for the last two chapters! Thanks guys, I'm glad you're all enjoying the story so far. Sorry I took so long to respond to all your reviews, but I've been busy with my job and other things that a teen has to deal with on a daily basis. By the way, I'd like to take a moment to dedicate this story to all those MGS/Smash Bros. fans out there who feel that Snake isn't portrayed nor explained as well as he should be in other fics in this fandom. Okay, let's get things underway!**

**DISCLAIMER:**** Even though I wish I did, I don't own Super Smash Bros. Brawl, nor do I own Metal Gear Solid. MGS belongs to Konami and Hideo Kojima, and Brawl belongs to Nintendo and HAL Laboratories. **

**Chapter Three: Of Mercenaries and Smashers**

'One minute he's fine, the next minute he's dead. The Colonel is definitely hiding something from me…'

_Snake continued to stare at the body of the DARPA chief, Donald Anderson. He mulled over what Colonel Campbell and Dr. Naomi Hunter had just told him over the Codec. Just moments ago, Snake had broken into the man's cell to rescue him. After Anderson told him about the new type of Metal Gear codenamed "REX," the secret partnership between DARPA and ArmsTech, and whether or not the terrorists led by members of FOXHOUND could, in fact, fulfill their threats to launch a nuke, Snake was prepared to help the man escape from his cell. But before he could, the man started to shake violently and convulse. Before Snake knew it, the man died right in front of his eyes. _

_He called the Colonel, but neither he nor Naomi could figure out what had happened. Naomi thought it might have been a heart attack, but Snake was skeptical. How could a heart attack be timed so perfectly? _

_The mercenary was about to jump back up through the grate he had entered through, but stopped. He heard what sounded like a struggle outside the cell, but the noise stopped as quickly as it started. Snake paused and listened for a moment. He heard the cell door next to his open before he heard his own door unlock moments later. _

_Drawing his SOCOM, Snake approached the cell door and opened it. Seeing no moment, he carefully made his way out, ready for anything. He was greeted with the not-so-pleasant sight of a naked man's ass sticking up in the air in front of him. He realized it was the prison guard from before as the abrupt clicking of an assault rifle forced him to stop. _

"_Don't move!" the figure ordered in a muffled voice. "So you killed the Chief…you bastard!"_

_Snake holstered his SOCOM and raised his hands, warily turning to his right to find himself staring down the barrel of the. Was it just him, or did that voice sound rather…feminine? _

_He found himself staring down the barrel of a FAMAS. The person had the prison guard's dark green uniform on; the face mask hiding their identity. Snake noticed rather distinct curves near the chest area and a slimmer frame down the middle. Could it be the woman he saw before; the one he eyed while he was crawling through the cell vents to reach the DARPA Chief?_

"_Liquid?...No…you're not."_

_Snake jerked towards her, causing the masked woman to nearly jump out of her skin. She brought up the FAMAS again to Snake's face._

"_Don't move!" she yelled, her hands shaking. Snake smirked; the classic sign of a rookie._

"_Is this the first time you've ever pointed a gun at a person? Your hands are shaking."_

_The woman seemed taken aback, almost irritated under the mask. Using her hesitation to his advantage, Snake swiped the FAMAS right out of her hands, aiming it at her. She grabbed it back, twisting it around so it pointed directly in the middle of Snake's forehead. He reached for the barrel and pulled it closer so that the ice cold steel was only millimeters from his skin._

"_Can you shoot me rookie?" he smirked. Yup, the woman was definitely irritated now._

"_Careful, I'm no rookie!" she said with defiance._

"_Liar," he growled. "Your eyes wander. There's no confidence in them. The eyes of a rookie." _

_He narrowed his eyes, staring intently into hers. "You've never shot a person, have you?"_

"_You talk too much."_

"_You haven't even taken the safety off, rookie," Snake said with another smirk. He had noticed that fatal error immediately when he saw the woman; another rookie mistake. She tightened her grip on the FAMAS and quickly switched the safety off with a small click._

"_I told you, I'm no rookie!" she shouted. She'd be damned if someone like this guy was going to boss her around. She was the one with the gun here; she was supposed to be the one in control!_

"_You're not one of them, are you?" Snake asked. The woman motioned her FAMAS toward the door._

"_Open that door! You have a card, don't you?"_

"_Why?" _

"_So we can get the hell out of here!" she said, unable to believe her ears. _

_Before either of them could move, the door opened and Genome Soldiers started filing through, FAMAS's drawn. _

"_Looks like we'll be a little delayed!" Snake said as he drew his SOCOM immediately. _

_The woman aimed her FAMAS at the soldiers and hesitated, her eyes turning wide at the sight of them. Muttering to himself about rookies, Snake immediately started firing before the first wave could get a shot off. The woman was still stunned, unable to pull the trigger. One of their attackers aimed his FAMAS at her as she stood there in shock, no hesitation in his eyes. Snake immediately put a bullet through his head as the Genome Soldier fell forward, staining the concrete floor with blood. The woman's eyes were wide as saucers at the nauseating sight._

"_What are you doing? Don't think, shoot!" Snake barked as more soldiers arrived, gunfire filling the room. The woman pressed the trigger, hoping for the best._

"_Aaahhhh!" she screamed as the rifle recoiled out of control in her hands. The wild bullets killed several soldiers as the rifle rumbled into the air. She stopped and stared in shock at the lives she had just ended._

_Groaning, Snake forcefully grabbed her arm and shoved her into the nearest cell for cover as bullets flew through the air, like angry hornets swarming a predator. He returned fire as he gritted his teeth, not liking their odds. The woman stood still in the corner, her eyes still wide as the scene played over in her head over and over again._

* * *

Glimmers of white light broke through the dark. Solid Snake could barely make out the outlines of various figures above him. Whether these figures were real or merely figments of his imagination was the least of his concern.

His head hurt like hell, but his heightened training as a solider started to kick back in; the first of these instincts being to block out the pain, the second to figure out where he was without letting his "captors" know that he was awake.

He knew he was on something soft, most likely some type of bed. He felt machine hookups at certain points of his body and thought he heard the sounds of a heart monitor and an IV, which led him to believe he was in some type of hospital. He heard different voices in the room as his sense of hearing returned.

"…and the next thing I know, the guy collapses right in front of me. It's a good thing I was taking a ride through the Lost Woods on Epona when I was; else I don't know if he'd have made it. Packs of Wolfos and Stalhounds can be dangerous to deal with at night, especially by yourself."

Snake turned and barely opened his eyes to see a green-clad figure talking to something that looked like a giant, floating white hand. He noticed the green guy's pointy ears with small piercings in each one.

'_What's this guy, some kind of elf? And what's with that floating hand thing?' _he wondered._ "Now I know I must be dreaming…'_

"I'm thankful you found him when you did Link," the hand said. "Who knows what could have happened if you hadn't shown up?" The man-elf called Link shook his head with bewilderment.

"Honestly Master Hand, he was doing fine on his own until I had to intervene," Link said. "He was using a combo of high-tech weaponry that I've never seen before along with hand-to-hand combat moves. The guy was incredible! I just wish I knew who he was and what he was doing out there by himself."

"We'll find out more when he wakes up, but until then go attend to the other Smashers," the hand replied. "Also on your way out, please send in Mario. I need to discuss some things with him."

Link gave a curt nod and walked out of the room, leaving only Snake and the floating mutant hand thing.

Snake attempted to sit up but his body screamed in protest. He realized his Sneaking Suit had been removed and that bandages were wrapped around his torso. He also felt patches on both his arms and shoulders. Some of the wounds were from the demon wolves, but some of them were also from his fight with Liquid and Metal Gear REX. That's not even counting the burn marks from the shock treatments he received from Ocelot's torture machine hours earlier.

To his relief, his trademark bandana was still securely tied to his head. The gloved hand appeared to notice his groans as Snake felt sharp pain from different points of his body.

"So, you're awake," the hand started. "Relax—you're safe here. You're lucky to be alive. Even if you hadn't been attacked, you probably would have died of dehydration after a few days. Not many bodies of water run through the Lost Woods. How are you feeling?"

"Where am I, and who or what the hell are you?" Snake asked in a raspy voice, not caring if he had offended the hand-thing or not. Damn, he needed a smoke.

The hand-thing moved closer so Snake could easily see him. "For starters, my name is Master Hand, and you're currently in the hospital wing of Smash Mansion," he began. "This mansion is the home of myself and an elite group of fighters known as the Super Smash Brothers," it proclaimed. Snake stared at the hand as if it were tripping on LSD.

"Uh-huh…and where is this…mansion, located exactly?" he asked.

"Why, in the Nintendo universe of course. Where else did you think we were?" it asked as if Snake should have known that already. The mercenary was stunned.

'_Nintendo? Now I'm positive that I've gone crazy. Where's Otacon when you need him? He's a geek, maybe he'd know who these people are. I sure as hell don't…'_ Snake thought before responding.

"Let's just say I'm not from around here," Snake said.

"I figured as much, and I have a few questions myself," the hand said. "Who are you, and why were you out in the middle of the Lost Woods?"

Snake considered lying for a moment but reconsidered. This guy, or t_hing_, seemed to be okay; he hadn't detected a single trace of a lie in his voice. Plus, these people could possibly know of a way to send him back to Shadow Moses. Back to his world, where he was supposed to be.

"The name's Solid Snake, and I'm a retired solider from Alaska. Well, that is, I _was_ retired," he muttered bitterly. "I was abruptly called back into service when a group of terrorists staged a coup on a military installation on Shadow Moses Island, and then…"

"…your mission became more complex, and you were involved in an explosion so large that somehow it opened an interplanetary wormhole that transported you to our world. Right?" the hand said without hesitation.

If it had been a cartoon, Snake's jaw would have dropped to the floor. He was flabbergasted. He reconsidered his evaluation of the hand; this guy could be an enemy after all.

"That's it; who are you really?" he bellowed. "How can you read my mind like that? Do you know Psycho Mantis or something!" He struggled to rise as Master Hand firmly held him down. Realizing the hand was too strong, he slowly relaxed as the hand released him from its grasp.

"Relax, Snake. Sorry about that, I read your mind to make sure you were telling me the truth. Would have done it sooner but I needed you to be conscious. Sorry if it upsets you, but it's faster than you simply telling me everything," it apologized before pausing.

"I understand that you come from a different world than ours. Like I said though, you've somehow been transported here through a type of wormhole."

"Wormhole?" Snake asked. _'All I remember is the crash while I was battling Liquid…'_

"Yes it was a wormhole, most likely caused by the explosion. It's an extremely rare case for a wormhole like that to open, but then again if the explosion was huge enough, theoretically the amount of force could, for a moment's time, cause a tear in the fabric of time and space between dimensions, thus creating a small wormhole. Unfortunately, the exit factor of a wormhole is random, and you happened to end up in this dimension," explained Master Hand. Snake cut the hand off before it could continue; scientific explanations were never his favorite thing to discuss.

"Lucky me…" he muttered. "Look, that's all fine and dandy, but I have a mission to complete. Is there any way you can transport me back to my world?"

Snake didn't care how it happened; he just wanted a way back to Shadow Moses and fast. Otacon could be hurt and dying for all he knew. And what about the Colonel and the air raid?

"I'm not sure if there is. Wormholes are a touchy subject; I'd have to do some more research to give you an answer, not to mention to find out exactly which dimension you came from. It's fairly complicated stuff, you know. There's billions upon billions of dimensions you could have come from."

Snake turned his head briefly, forcing down the sadness that was once again assaulting the steel barrier he had built around his heart.

'_It's not like I have much to go back to anyways…I failed the mission and people whom I thought I could actually call "friends" double crossed me…'_

"Regardless, I have a proposition for you, Snake. I've heard you're an avid fighter, and from what I've gathered from reading your mind, an elite soldier."

"So?" the mercenary asked, turning his head back to face his host.

Master Hand paused for a moment, almost as if for dramatic effect. "I'm asking if you'd be in joining the Super Smash Brothers and become a Smasher. We have many warriors here, all from different cultures and worlds. A fighter such as yourself would feel right at home here."

Snake thought about it for a moment before he shook his head. "Sorry, but I always work alone. I'm not much of a people person," he sighed.

The door on the far right of the white room automatically opened as a short, mustached man, dressed in overalls and a red cap with an "M" plastered on the front entered the hospital wing. He paused to finish stuffing a white doctor's coat inside a black supply bag he was carrying before walking toward Master Hand.

"Master Hand, you sent for me?" he asked in a thick Italian accent, looking at Snake out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes Mario, I did. Have there been any problems with the Smashers in my absence?"

'_Mario!'_ Snake thought, _'as in the "Super Mario Bros." Mario? I thought that guy looked familiar. Come on; you've got to be kidding me! I got sent to a dimension of video games?' _

"Well, aside from a small fight between Bowser and Ganondorf, things have been pretty quiet." The plumber motioned toward Snake. "I see our new arrival's finally awake."

"Ah, yes," the hand said. "Solid Snake, may I introduce you to Mario, one of our veteran Smashers and also the part-time head of the hospital wing here at the Mansion. He's the reason why you're still here right now. Mario, this is Solid Snake. He's a mercenary from some place called Alaska." Snake shook hands the Smasher, giving him a curt nod. For some reason, Snake already kind of liked the guy.

"Nice to meet you, Snake," he said. "You were in pretty bad shape when Link brought you in; I wasn't sure if you were gonna make it. Luckily you have a strong immune system, and you heal fairly quickly for someone your age. How are you feeling?"

"I've felt better. How long have I been out?" Snake asked.

"About three days. You seemed exhausted from whatever you'd been through, like a bad case of fatigue caused by battle stress," Mario said, gesturing at Snake's burnt and worn Sneaking Suit.

"Mario, I was just inviting our new friend to join us here at Smash Mansion and become a Smasher," Master Hand said. "From what Link's told me, he's quite the fighter." Mario's bright eyes perked up at the mention of those words.

"That's great!" he exclaimed with a warm smile. "We've had quite a few new members arrive recently, so you'd be in good company. Heck, the Brawl tournament hasn't even started yet, so you could even enter that if you wanted to."

"So Snake, what do you say? You know, you're not the only one here who tends to go at it alone," Master Hand said. Snake took another moment to think before making his decision.

"Sure, guess I could give it a shot…" he muttered.

'_Well, what choice do I have? I'm stuck here in a dimension I only thought existed in stupid video games, I don't know where Otacon is, and it looks like there's no way I can return to Shadow Moses. What do I have to lose?'_

"Great, it's decided then! I'll send someone to get you in the morning Snake, but for now you should rest and regain your strength."

Snake nodded, watching as both Master Hand and Mario turned around and exited the hospital wing after shutting off the lights. Snake lay awake for a few minutes, mulling over his present situation in his mind before sleep and fatigue overtook him once again.

* * *

Snake awoke with a jump in the hospital wing; Liquid's demented laughter still lingering in the back of his mind. It was nighttime from what he saw outside. The craving had come back. He really needed a cigarette, badly.

Checking around for a brief moment for movement, Snake slid his legs out of the covers to the side of his bed, the cool tile flooring feeling smooth beneath his feet. Once he felt comfortable enough, he gingerly walked toward the far table where his Sneaking Suit lay. He took notice of the many beds that aligned both sides of the wing.

'_Jeez, guess they get a lot of injuries in this place…'_

In what felt like an eternity, he finally reached his carefully folded Sneaking Suit. He didn't see any of his weapons lying around, but he couldn't have cared less at that point. Besides, there was only one thing he was really looking for.

Unzipping the outside covering, he reached inside and dug into a hidden pocket near the rib area where he kept a lighter and a pack of his special cigarettes handy. Not really caring if there was a "No Smoking" policy here or not, Snake quickly looked around for any hazardous oxygen tanks and took out a cigarette. He placed it in his mouth, the smooth tobacco feeling like bliss to his taste buds.

After making his way back to his bed, he opened the window above it slightly. The warm night air felt refreshing to his face as he lit the cigarette, the nicotine almost immediately soothing his anxious nerves.

People had always told him he should think about quitting, but in his profession, guys like him had a low life expectancy. So it'd be either cancer or a bullet. What did it matter? He stared out the window at the forest outside, thinking as he breathed out the excess smoke from his lungs.

So much had happened to him in the span of what felt like months. Within twenty-four hours, he'd gone from being a retired soldier living peacefully in the Alaskan wilderness to a mercenary with the fate of the world resting on his shoulders. As if that weren't enough, three days later he's invited to become a fighter competing against dozens of others in some kind of tournament, all in an alternate dimension.

'_Like I have anything better to do anyways since I'm stuck here for now,'_ he thought bitterly.

'_Liquid is probably dead from the explosion, and I can't contact Otacon or the Colonel. Besides, I stopped Metal Gear, the terrorists, and FOXHOUND; mission accomplished as far as I'm concerned. Let that bastard Secretary of Defense obliterate Shadow Moses. It's not my problem anymore…' _

Snake sighed as he looked up at the sky, silently smoking his cigarette. It was a gorgeous night. The pale moon shone as brightly as the gleaming stars, which resembled jewels glittering in the blackness of space.

The pain in his heart had returned, but by now he knew it wasn't FOXDIE. Naomi had said in her last transmission that FOXDIE was part of the shot she had given him containing the nanomachines for his mission. It was a type of retrovirus that killed its victims by simulating a heart attack. However, its victims were pre-programmed beforehand by the fine folks at the Pentagon. He still wondered if he was on their blacklist, also destined to die at the hands of the deadly strain. But at this point it didn't matter. If he was to die, then so be it.

No, this pain was the one he had been feeling earlier. The constant reminder of that one aspect of the mission he had failed. Yes, he had failed to rescue both the DARPA Chief and the ArmsTech President, but they were already dead or close to it by the time he had found them so it didn't matter.

No, he had failed one other person. The one person who had mattered the most to him. All because he had given into Ocelot's torture. He hadn't been strong enough to save her, the woman whom he had come to love in so short a time, but had been taken from him just as quickly.

He still remembered how limp her body felt in his arms as he lifted her up; how cold she felt against his warm, blistered hands after he had disarmed the bomb at her bound feet. Her faded red hair, the paleness in her still beautiful face.

'_Meryl…I…I'm sorry…I'm sorry I couldn't save you,' _he thought._ 'The only person I have ever loved…I couldn't save…'_

The cigarette and the moon were his only comforts. He slammed his hands down on the base of the window, curling them into tight fists. For the first time in his life, legendary mercenary Solid Snake; a man revered everywhere as the best soldier in history since Big Boss himself, shed tears of agony.

* * *

**And that's the end of chapter three. Expect fewer flashbacks until I actually spell out for everyone what happened on Shadow Moses, so if you're still a bit confused about Snake's past don't worry, I'll get to it eventually. If you're really curious however, you can always go on to other sites and find out the full story of MGS for yourselves (sorry if I'm not quick enough for you people…). Expect an update soon, but I can't say for sure when (same goes for LAH). Thanks like always for reading everyone, and please review if you have any questions/comments/critique!**


	4. Chapter 4: Smasher Orientation

_**Flowershop78:**_** Glad to see I'm doing something right! Be sure to let me know if you think Snake becomes a bit OOC though, okay? Thanks for your kind words!**

**DISCLAIMER:**** I don't own Super Smash Bros. Brawl, nor do I own Metal Gear Solid. MGS belongs to Konami and Hideo Kojima and Brawl belongs to Nintendo and HAL Laboratories. **

**Chapter Four: Smasher Orientation**

It was morning when Snake awoke again, his cigarette long since burnt out. He had taken the liberty of hiding its remains in a makeshift ash tray beneath his bed, just in case. He still felt a bit sore, but considering how he had felt when he last had some rest, it was a large improvement.

He tilted his head toward the bedside table where he found a tray of orange juice, coffee, two eggs and some toast waiting for him on a serving tray, complete with utensils and napkins to boot.

'_Beats the hell out of other hospitals I've stayed at,' _he grinned. _"Hell, they didn't even burn the toast. Thank God they eat what could be considered normal around here; saves me the effort of cooking.'_

Snake picked up a fork and dug into one of the hard-boiled eggs. The taste was bland but bearable; could have used more pepper in his opinion, but that was easy to fix with the proper seasonings. As long as it wasn't military rations, he'd live.

'_Huh, maybe I can get used to this place after all…'_ he thought, somewhat impressed although he'd never admit it.

The digital alarm clock next to the bountiful feast flashed 8:30 AM. He removed the covers and gathered up his Sneaking Suit, which had been dry cleaned sometime in the night to his astonishment. He worried for his scarce supply of cigarettes, but found them and his lighter to be completely dry when he opened the hidden interior pocket he stored them in.

After retying his tattered bandanna around his forehead, he ate his food quickly. He anticipated that whoever was coming to show him around would most likely arrive around 0900 hours or so. He was in the middle of finishing his coffee (black to his pleasure) when the double doors opened and the blond haired elf warrior known as Link strolled in.

Even though he didn't look more than eighteen, Snake noticed that the young man had a certain look about him; he had the eyes of a fighter who had seen too much bloodshed and death, maybe even a war or two. He wore a loose-fitting green tunic that had been stitched at the sleeves and sides of his waist, along with a pair of light tan tights underneath and brown field boots. A strange, floppy hat (which Snake found a bit ridiculous) covered about half of his head, and his long ears were both pierced with small blue rings. A leather belt with a strap for his sword's scabbard was tied across his chest, and a medieval-looking sword hilt with a heavy blue shield was attached to the scabbard.

The elf walked over toward Snake, silently studying him as the soldier stood up.

"Hey there, how ya feeling?" the young warrior asked. "You were pretty banged up when I found you in the Lost Woods."

"Better now, thanks to your hospitality," Snake remarked as he set his coffee mug down on the bedside table. "Thanks for saving my ass in that 'Lost Forest' or whatever the hell it is you call it. Don't expect anything in return though; I'm not one to repay debts much."

He paused for a moment. "You're Link, right?"

The elf nodded. "Yeah, and Master Hand told me you're Solid Snake, correct?"

"That's what some people call me…"

"Weird name, but it's not the weirdest I've ever heard," Link said. "Anyway, I'm supposed to be your guide today. Basically, I'm gonna show you around the mansion and get you acquainted with some of the other Smashers. You up for it?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Snake muttered as he followed Link out of the hospital wing.

* * *

"So basically…it's a rat with a funny looking tail…"

"_Pika?"_

Snake continued staring in awe at the strange creature known as Pikachu. The mouse-like Pokémon stood on its haunches and blinked curiously at him with its round, orb-like eyes. Trying his best at what he thought was a friendly smile, Snake slowly stuck out his hand as Pikachu watched, wondering what this idiotic human was doing.

"Um, I wouldn't do that if I were you Snake…" Link said in a wary tone. He took a few steps back from the stump where the Pokémon was standing as it sniffed Snake's hand. Link had thought that the courtyard of the mansion would be a good place to start showing Snake around since the guy had been cooped up for so long. But now that he thought about it, maybe it wasn't the best idea.

"C'mon, what's the little guy gonna do? Bite my head off?" Snake smirked as he scratched the creature behind its ears. Even though he wouldn't admit it openly, he secretly held a soft spot for animals. It was one of the reasons why he had taken up sled dog racing after retiring in Alaska. He missed his dogs and hoped they were okay.

Small sparks of electricity started to crackle from Pikachu's red cheeks as it purred; it loved the sensations it was feeling behind its ears.

'_Uh oh, here we go again…'_ Link thought as he stepped even farther back.

Dark clouds started to gather far above, blocking out the sun.

"Hey, what gives?" Snake asked as he looked up at the sky, still scratching behind Pikachu's ears.

"_Pi…"_

"Huh?" Snake said, confused. "Um, Link, what's going on?"

"_Ka…"_

'_Oh crap!'_ Link thought as he dove behind a bush. This wasn't going to end well.

"_Chu!"_

An enormous bolt of lightning shot out from Pikachu's body and rushed into the atmosphere, sending a shockwave through the ground around the stump. As quickly as it came, the storm clouds dissipated, exposing the sun once more.

Link stuck his head out from the bushes for a moment before he climbed out of them and dusted his tunic off. He saw Pikachu on the stump, innocently looking about as if nothing had happened. But where was Snake?

"Snake? You okay?" Link called out as he looked around for the missing mercenary.

Something heavy grabbed him from behind. He instinctively threw whoever it was over his shoulder and unsheathed the Master Sword. He pointed the tip of the blade at his attacker's throat, ready to kill if necessary. When he realized who it was, he immediately lowered his weapon and sheathed it while laughing hysterically.

"Remind me never to touch that…that _demon_ ever again, will you?" a charred, smoking Snake said through coughs. He lay face up on the ground, dumbfounded.

'_Guess I got a lot to learn…'_ he groaned, his body still spontaneously twitching and shaking as he grasped Link's outstretched hand. He was hoisted up to his feet while Link still tried to control his laughter.

'_Marth's gonna get a kick out of this tonight!'_

* * *

"And this is the dining hall. This is where everyone usually eats and socializes when we're not fighting. Food's usually here automatically now thanks to the Waddle Dee cooks King Dedede brought from his castle back in Dream Land. He's one of the new fighters around here by the way, so you'll probably meet him later."

Snake listened to Link intently as he tried to form a basic blueprint of the enormous mansion inside his brain. Usually it came naturally to him since it was what he was trained to do as a soldier, but he had to pay special attention to Link's directions in order to build one this time.

He couldn't believe the size of the place, especially considering how many people it housed for the Smash tournaments. Oddly enough, there weren't too many Smashers around besides himself, that demon mouse-like thing Pikachu, and Link. Snake had asked Link about the lack of other Smashers in the mansion, but he merely shrugged and explained that most of the Smashers were probably out in the nearby town relaxing before more competitors arrived.

"Okay, well I'll lead you to the auditorium next, then to the lounge for a bit, and then finally to your room. If you're up to it, we can spar in the simulators after dinner if you want," Link offered as he led Snake down another long hallway toward the auditorium.

Snake merely grunted in acknowledgment as he followed the Hylian silently, choosing to observe rather than talk. Up until now, Link hadn't minded the silent nature of the strange man since he was usually silent himself, but now the silence was seriously starting to border on annoying. He decided to make an attempt at conversation.

"So Snake," Link started, "Master Hand didn't tell me much about you other than your name. What do you do for a living?"

Snake didn't feel like giving this elf-guy too much information, so he decided to only reveal the basics.

"I used to be a retired soldier, but now I guess you could call me a mercenary."

"I've met some of those," Link said. "So, you fight for money then? Is that all?"

"Money is trivial; it'll only take you so far in life. It's more like the thrill of battle that drives me when I fight. The only time I ever feel truly alive, like myself, is on the battlefield."

Link shook his head. Great, another warmonger. "That's a sad way to go through life. If you continue down that road, you'll only end up fighting a chain of endless battles. That chain will only break with your death," he warned.

Snake snorted. Who was he to tell him what to do with his life?

"Well then mister insightful, what do you do for a living?"

Link ignored the taunt. "Back in my homeland, evil constantly threatens its peace and stability. As the chosen hero of the goddesses, I've sworn an oath to defend that peace and the people who uphold it. I haven't regretted it so far," Link said as he remembered his past adventures in the land of Hyrule. Snake narrowed his eyes, focusing them on the floor.

"I don't have anything left to fight for, besides myself," he muttered. "No friends, no family, no country, nothing. I've tried to leave my past behind me, and focus only on the present."

"You're a depressing man to be around, Snake. Life's too short to only be living for yourself," Link said with sorrow.

"Whatever, I'm fine with who I am," Snake said. "Don't go acting all innocent on me either; I've seen your eyes. You've seen the horrors of war. They're the eyes of a warrior who's stared death in the face, who knows what it's like to kill or be killed."

Link sighed, his eyes filled with regret. "I won't deny it, I've killed several people," he said. "But not because I like to; only because I must, to protect myself and those who are dearest to me."

"However," he continued, "most of the time I only hunt monsters that have no soul. Creatures who care only for destruction and death of the innocent."

Snake merely grunted as they entered the auditorium, where Link dropped the subject and launched into an explanation of the room's many uses. Inside his head though, he wondered who this "Solid Snake" guy really was. Could a human being really be so lonely and cold-hearted?

* * *

After they exited the elevator, Snake followed Link past many doors, all of which had different names and symbols on them. The pair continued until they reached a door with the carving of a fox on it.

"This is your room," Link said. "Fortunately for you, you get your own room since this is a new section of the mansion. The rest of the newcomers have their own rooms too, while we veteran fighters have to share rooms in the old dorms. I don't really mind so much, but some of the others are a bit jealous. Don't be surprised if some of them are a bit hostile to you at first," Link said. Snake continued to stare at the symbol on his door.

'_That's the old FOXHOUND insignia; the way it used to look back when I was in it…'_

Snake averted his eyes and turned the doorknob. He peered inside the darkened room and was completely floored at what he saw.

Aside from a basic bed, nightstand, windows and closet, the room was outfitted with a state-of-the-art PC along with surveillance and security equipment, complete with a folded laptop near the PC. A stainless steel workbench occupied the far left corner of the room, complete with tools and supplies perfect for building various explosives and weapon upgrades. All of his weapons were there, contained in a weapons cabinet with explosives secured in a foot locker below it. For comfort, a nice rug and sofa filled the center of the room, while a large LCD TV adorned the space across from the sofa. In the far right corner was a mini-exercise area, complete with free weights and various other machines. There was even a fridge in the corner for cold drinks and food. Snake could hardly believe his eyes.

"Master Hand knew you didn't bring much, so he created most of this for you. I hope you like it," Link commented as he stepped inside.

"I think it'll do…" Snake said, the shadow of a smile gracing the corners of his mouth as he followed the Hylian into his new home.

* * *

After a short nap, Snake fiddled a bit with his broken Codec on the workbench. The circuits inside the earpiece were damaged, and every frequency he tried only yielded static. It would take some time before he could possibly get it working again.

With a frustrated sigh he kicked off his boots and landed on the sofa. He lit a cigarette and fumbled for the remote for a moment before he finally turned on the TV. Some of the stations were completely foreign to him, but a few he recognized from his own world so he continued channel surfing for a bit. It wasn't until he found ABC when he finally stopped clicking away. Satellite images of what appeared to be the charred remains of some kind of facility on an island flashed on the screen.

"On World News Tonight, a disastrous nuclear explosion on Shadow Moses Island near the Fox Archipelago last night severely crippled U.S. foreign relations with Russia and other world nations today. The President has been establishing emergency contact today with all member nations of the UN in an attempt to explain the situation, calling it a tragic but fortunate accident. Apparently, hostile forces had previously taken over the facility and had threatened to launch a nuclear missile if their demands were not met."

'_What? So they really went through with the cover-up, didn't they?' _Snake growled._ 'Wait a moment, how can I even get this station if I'm in another dimension? And did they just say "last night?" What the hell's happening here?'_

After the short intro, the screen changed to a man in a typical business suit sitting at a desk, his blond hair sleeked back with hair gel.

"Good evening everyone, I'm Jack Hunter. The Pentagon issued a statement today concerning the Shadow Moses tragedy that happened last night. According to the statement, several warheads thought to have been dismantled at the nuclear weapons disposal site on the island suddenly went off, killing a group of terrorists who had previously threatened the world with nuclear Armageddon. Secretary of Defense Jim Houseman spoke on the matter earlier this afternoon."

The screen cut to an aging old man standing behind a wooden podium. The emblem of the Pentagon adorned the wall behind him.

'_Houseman…that bastard's the one who's responsible for this mess…'_ Snake thought with hatred. He remembered the brief Codec conversation he had with the man before his fist fight with Liquid atop the remains of Metal Gear REX. Camera flashes shone in the man's tired face as he spoke.

"What happened on Shadow Moses Island was a tragic accident, and frankly it could have been much worse. After careful examination of the area, myself and other White House officials have been informed that there were no survivors from the blast, and that radiation levels will be dangerously high in the area for at least the next fifty years. We realize that the UN other nations are angered by the U.S' apparent disregard of nuclear disarmament policies, but please rest assured that the situation is under control. No nation has anything to fear; the U.S. will not launch a nuclear attack…"

Snake switched off the TV, leapt to his feet and threw the remote at the wall. He took the cigarette out of his mouth and spat at the ground, furious as hell.

"Shit!" he yelled. "I'm stuck here and I can't do a damn thing to help exploit the lies those bastards have created!"

It felt as if his entire mission on Shadow Moses had been in vain. The sacrifices Snake had made. The sacrifices the Colonel, Otacon, Naomi, Mei Ling, Nastasha, Meryl, Gray Fox…no, Frank Jaeger, had all made, all to stop Metal Gear and Liquid. All those sacrifices, all to preserve the world as everyone knew it. Was it all for nothing now?

"_You see? You can't protect anyone! Not even yourself!"_

Liquid's words echoed in Snake's mind until someone knocked at the door.

"Hey Snake, dinner's ready!" Link cheerfully yelled from the other side. "Looks like everyone's back from town too, so you can come introduce yourself to the other Smashers if you want!" Snake heard footsteps and the faint sound of humming leave the doorway. He scowled at the door and shook his head in disbelief.

'_How can that guy be so jovial all the time? It's sickening.'_

Snake breathed another sigh as he pulled his combat boots back on. He dabbed his spent cigarette in the ash tray on the coffee table before he walked toward the door. Before he opened it, he double-backed back over to the weapons cabinet and took out his now-signature SOCOM. The weapon gleamed in the artificial light from the weapons cabinet; Snake had personally polished and cleaned the pistol earlier that day. He took a full clip and loaded it, cocking the slide once and loading a bullet into place. After making sure the safety was on, he holstered it securely on his right hip.

'_You never know when you'll need a weapon. Plus, if Link can get away with carrying a sword around, I can probably carry my SOCOM around no problem…' _

Snake grabbed two spare clips and stuck them inside a hidden pocket on his Sneaking Suit before closing the cabinet. He activated the room's security system before he stepped out into the deserted hallway and headed for the elevator.

* * *

**And I'll stop things there. I know you guys were hoping Snake would interact more with the other Smashers, but that requires lots of description and stuff like that, so I think it'd be better if he just met most of them all at once next chapter. Plus, I'll finally introduce Samus to the story next chapter! I'm still not sure how I'm going to write the rest of this story, but I promise that there will be some sort of plot, along with more character exploration (including Snake). Please understand that I'm trying to keep him in character as he is in MGS1, but it's sort of hard since he's still depressed and all that (he'll get better, don't worry!). Okay, well thanks for all the support guys, and please let me know what you think in a review! **


	5. Chapter 5: New Beginnings, With a Price

**DISCLAIMER:**** I don't own Metal Gear Solid or Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Metal Gear Solid belongs to Konami and Hideo Kojima, and Brawl belongs to Nintendo and HAL Laboratories.**

**Chapter Five: New Beginnings…With a Price**

'_How do I get myself into these situations?_' Snake thought as he stood silently in the darkness, his arms crossed over his chest. As soon as he had stepped off the elevator, Master Hand had whisked him away to a darkened stage, where Snake could faintly see the outlines of other figures waiting patiently behind some sort of curtain. Faint traces of light leaked from the other side where the sounds of excited voices were coming from, so it didn't take long for him to piece together that he, along with what he assumed were the other newcomers, would be showcased on stage for all veteran fighters to see.

He hated being in the spotlight, ever since he had been an operative for FOXHOUND back in the early days. Even after the Outer Heaven and Zanzibar Land incidents, Snake was never one to fully accept his superior's thanks. He was only a soldier carrying out his orders, even if it meant single-handedly taking out walking bipedal nuclear battle-tanks that could spell catastrophe for the entire world. But being presented like some sort of trophy in front of strangers he'd never met before? The thought alone caused his blood to boil.

'_Let's just get this over with…'_ he growled as he shifted back and forth on his feet uncomfortably. Cheers and applause erupted from the audience as Snake watched the shadow of a glove move across the outside of the stage, stopping near the center at a podium. The crowd quieted down as the shadow reached the other side of the stage and remained in place.

"Hello my Smashers and welcome back to Smash Mansion! I hope you've all been well these past few years. Once again, the time has come to unite and compete in another Super Smash Bros. tournament. With that said, let me be the first to welcome you all to Super Smash Bros. Brawl!"

Clamorous applause filled the room for a moment before Master Hand continued.

"As you all might recall, each time we hold a Smash Bros. tournament, we welcome new fighters into our ranks to compete for the championship. This year is no different, as we have over twelve new fighters joining us from different worlds. Now, would you all please give a warm welcome to our newest Smashers!"

The curtain rose. Snake raised a hand to shield his eyes from the intense bright light as he stepped forward.

For the fourth time in his life, he was being forced into center stage. However, this time was different. There was no mission briefing, no objectives to keep in mind, no menace to the entire world that he had to stop or die trying. Nothing, except a promise. A promise he once made to the only person he could honestly say that he ever loved. Her words still haunted him, the last moments he had seen her alive replaying themselves over and over again in his mind. Memories that became the fodder for his nightmares; reminders of his ultimate failure, the only time he had ever failed a mission.

"_Snake…please…go on living and don't give up on people. Don't forget me…"_

Snake clenched his fists, determination coursing through every ounce of fiber in his being.

'_Don't worry Meryl,' _Snake thought,_ 'I'll make a life for myself here, free from war and everything else that has to do with my past. A life truly worth living, one you would be proud of. I just wish you could be here to experience it with me…'_

* * *

**_-One Month Later-_**

The _Outlaw Star_ was known far and wide as one of the shadiest cantinas in the entire galaxy. Just beyond the fringes of Federation-controlled space in a small colony that orbited the barren moon of Thaddeus, it was a common refuge for those who simply wished not to be found.

Nefarious criminals and other rough types often stopped by the _Outlaw Star _in their travels. Even some sects of the infamous Space Pirates sometimes used to stop by for a few drinks, at least until the first incident on Planet Zebes in the Gandassi System eight years ago. Business had picked up since then, with even more shady types frequenting the bar, some looking as if they were hiding from Death himself. The funny thing was, most of those types more than likely were; the sizable bounties on their heads were proof of that. Unfortunately for them, many bounty hunters also frequented the _Outlaw Star_ for that exact reason.

Reptilians, cyborgs, humanoids, and several other beings were seated on the barstools, drinking their beverages either in silence or in low murmurs to each other while the bartender poured them fresh rounds, humming along to the soft rock that played over the radio speakers. The place wasn't exactly known for its top-of-the-line liquor, but it was better than half of the regulated cantinas that were found on Neo-Earth, the heart of the Galactic Federation.

Near the end of the long line of bar stools sat a peculiar individual. While many denizens of the _Outlaw Star_ were peculiar-looking themselves, this person was different. A black hood shrouded his face and hair in shadow. A large brown overcoat that reached down to his knees covered the rest of his body, minus the heavy steel boots that were perched on the bar table's foot rest.

The stranger sat there staring down at the pale orange drink clasped between his gloved hands, acting as if he were waiting for something to sprout out of the liquid and rip his face off. Another hooded individual, dressed in a similar fashion, casually strolled by and tapped the figure on the shoulder. Wordlessly, the being stood up, downed the rest of the drink and slammed the empty glass on the counter. He followed the second cloaked figure to the back of the bar, where the private booths were.

The two strangers walked to the farthest booth, where a third party was patiently waiting. The lighting was so dim that the third party couldn't clearly be identified, but there was definitely a faint, metallic luster to the bulky figure. The two cloaked strangers casually slid into the opposing table, both of them pausing for a moment before one of them leaned forward.

"Have you considered our offer?" one of them, a male, asked in a thick foreign accent, one not usually heard from those who spoke Basic, the standard language of Federation-controlled space.

"…_yes, I have,"_ a mechanized, filtered voice answered.

"And your decision?" asked the same man. The voice remained silent for a moment, a robotic hand passing over an old and weathered photograph face down before answering.

"_I usually don't bother handling jobs like these; it's easier to leave them to filthy scum or rookie hunters looking to make a name for themselves,"_ the voice blatantly stated, emotionless.

"I assure you, this particular bounty is rather…unique," the lead figure stated, "and most worthy of someone of your expertise. You're regarded by everyone we've asked as the best there is. It'd be a shame if all the effort we spent tracking you down these past two months were to be a waste." He could have sworn the mechanized behemoth stifled a snort.

"_Flattery will only get you so far. I didn't come here to listen to you sweet-talk me all day into doing your dirty work. If I wanted appraisal, I'd have gone back to Neo-Earth."_

"Fine then, I'll be a bit more direct. Do we have a deal, or not?" the lead figure asked, a bit more forceful this time. His companion chuckled slightly under his cloak, amused at his leader's irritation.

"…_fine, I'll do it, but only because of the price. Federation contracts have been a bit slow lately. But I have three conditions."_

"Such as?" the second figure said in a low and raspy tone.

"_First off, I want the entire payment up front, no questions asked."_

"Unfortunately for you, that's not how we do business," the leader explained. "Regardless of your reputation, we need at least _some_ reassurance that you'll do the job efficiently."

"_Then how about this: you give me half now, and the rest when the job is done."_

"It's a deal," the leader said, sliding a handful of credits across the table over to the being. The credits disappeared into the shadows, their fate unknown.

"_Good. Now, second of all, I do this my way. I won't take orders concerning how I will complete the job, nor will I entertain any goons you may want to team me up with. I work alone, or the deal is off."_

"As long as it's done in three months' time, that's perfectly fine with us," the leader said.

"And the third condition?" asked his partner. The being stood, pausing only for a moment before looking back at the two men.

"…_when our business is concluded, never contact me again."_

* * *

A fiery explosion from a missile and he had disappeared again.

Ike, leader of the Greil Mercenaries, kept his holy blade of Ragnell at the ready. His grip tightened on the blessed weapon as his eyes scanned rapidly back and forth, searching for any trace of his opponent.

'_Damn it, where did he go?'_ the warrior thought. There weren't many places to hide in the Battlefield stage. Only three sets of raised platforms and the base, where he stood, comprised the classic stage. It was the perfect place to break in new Smashers, which both of them happened to be.

He continued moving to his left until he heard a small _click_ behind him. He crouched, rolling backwards as two small fragmentation grenades landed where he should have been. He shielded his eyes from the blinding explosion before he was grabbed in a choke hold from behind. Gritting his teeth from his attacker's tight grip, Ike slammed his sword hilt into the place where he thought his attacker's solar plexus were. Hearing an audible grunt, Ike broke free and spun back around with Ragnell at the ready.

Solid Snake stood up, coughing a bit before looking back up at his opponent. He ran toward Ike, fists at the ready. The swordsman aimed a mighty overhead vertical strike but Snake dodged it, coming in close and lashing out with his classic punch, punch, and spin kick combo. Ike was knocked back for a moment before coming at Snake again with his sword. Snake activated his bubble shield to deflect the blows and retaliated with a tackle.

_BLAM! _

Snake flew backwards and landed near the edge of the stage, slamming into the stage floor on his back. He groaned, noticing the damage indicator on his wrist had risen to 108 percent. Wincing slightly, he went to stand up when he found the tip of a sword at his neck. Snake lifted his chin and stared into the eyes of a grinning Ike. His counter move, when used at the right moment, had won him many battles, and it looked like this one would be no different.

"Looks like you need more practice," Ike said with a smirk. "I'm surprised that the so-called 'legendary' Solid Snake would make an amateur's mistake. Going up against me in close quarter combat is a death wish waiting to happen."

Snake said nothing in response. It's true, he had known about Ike's special Counter attack; Marth had told him all about it and had even shown it to Snake during training sessions the day before.

"Now," Ike said as he brought his blade closer to Snake's neck, "I think it's about time I finished you off. Any last words before I win this match?"

Ike expected Snake to do one of many things: scream, attempt to attack, or just continue giving him a cold stare. But what the young mercenary did not expect was for his prey to glance down for a moment at Ike's feet and start chuckling.

"What are you laughing about?" Ike spat, looking around the darkened stage. The moon had risen behind them, bathing the stage in shimmering moonlight. Snake slowly reached behind him, removing a small device from a pouch on his new fully customized Sneaking Suit.

"Nothing really," Snake said. "But I do have one word for you."

"Oh yeah?" Ike asked, raising the tip of his sword for the final blow, elemental fire erupting from his blade. It was right at that moment Ike noticed a strange, blinking brick-like thing at his feet. His eyes went wide as Snake pushed up from the ground and leaped back, his thumb pressing down on the detonator in his right hand.

"Now!"

Ike was launched backwards, his flailing body clearing the stage edge and exploding off screen in a brilliant flash of multicolored lights.

"_Game!" _

* * *

Link watched the monitor screens in front of him and grinned at the instant replay of Ike and Snake's tournament match. He, Marth, Fox, and Falco waited patiently for the pair to teleport back to the stage control room, the place where all Smashers were teleported to stages for tournament fights. The room, its set of four teleporters and computers programmed with a plethora of stages that were all built, taken, and based on the memories of places each Smasher had been to, was used for other purposes as well. Usually Smashers would use the system for training exercises, but some simply came to relax and meditate.

"You know, I think that Snake guy's finally starting to get the hang of being a Smasher," Marth said, watching the replays next to Link.

"For someone with such a bad-looking mullet, he's pretty good," Fox remarked with a smirk as he finished imputing the match results into the tournament master computer. "I bet he'd even be able to take on Bowser now."

"Heh," Falco said as he crossed his wings, leaning against the wall. "I doubt it. He hasn't lost a tournament match yet, but I don't think he's strong enough to take Bowser on. I, on the other hand, could handle it," he proclaimed, puffing out his chest. Fox couldn't help but laugh at the ace pilot.

"This coming from the same bird that lost to Meta Knight yesterday without even _one_ knockout?"

"Can it Foxy, I don't remember you winning your last match either!" he retorted.

"At least I scored a few points on Pit before I lost!"

Before Falco could respond, the two closest teleporters hummed to life. A flurry of green pixels followed by a glowing green light and Snake and Ike materialized into the room. Both competitors immediately exited the machines and faced one another. Each stared at the other for a few moments, neither one breaking eye contact. Finally, Ike broke the uncomfortable silence.

"That bomb of yours really hurt, you know," Ike muttered.

"So did that little sword-spinning move you love to do in midair…" Snake said. Both remained standing. Ike kept a hand by his sword; Snake unhooked the holster of his SOCOM and kept a hand resting on the grip. The other four Smashers held their breath, preparing for some kind of conflict.

"You know that wasn't fair. The match should have been mine," Ike fumed. Snake narrowed his eyes.

"In war, there's no such thing as playing fair. Soldiers die; civilians are killed in the crossfire. War isn't fair, but it is what it is. You're a mercenary. You should know that."

Ike nodded, eyes fixated on Snake. A bead of sweat ran down his forehead, down his cheek and fell from his chin.

Snake's trigger finger twitched.

They acted. Snake found the edge of Ragnell touching his throat. Ike looked directly into the barrel of Snake's SOCOM. They froze.

"Snake, you know what Master Hand said about you and firearms," Link warned. Snake only squeezed the trigger of his SOCOM tighter.

They stood like that for another moment, neither one changing their serious expressions. Then, to everyone's surprise, both of them laughed. Ike withdrew and sheathed Ragnell while Snake holstered his SOCOM before shaking hands with his rival.

The other four Smashers remembered to breathe again as they walked out with the two mercenaries, the control room doors automatically slamming shut behind them.

* * *

"I have to say Snake, you scared me back there. I thought you two were going to go at it in the middle of the control room," Link said as he and Snake walked through the halls of Smash Mansion, heading for the dormitory section. Marth and Ike had gone to the dining hall for dinner and Fox and Falco had departed for the hanger to refuel their Arwings.

"It's a stand-off thing we tend to do after an intense battle," Snake replied. Even though the boy could be brash at times, he actually held great respect for the medieval warrior. With their matching bandanas and expert fighting skills, Snake considered Ike the medieval version of himself. Except, of course, he worked alone.

"I'm just saying there's supposed to be no fighting between competitors outside the stages. Plus you drew your pistol…"

"Relax elf-boy. The safety was on," Snake said. He knew what the Hylian was talking about: the rule against firearms Master Hand imposed.

Although it didn't apply to Fox and Falco since they could set their blasters on stun, Snake was forbidden to draw and use his SOCOM, FAMAS, or any other guns in tournament battles, supposedly to make it more "kid-friendly."

'_Kid-friendly my ass…'_ Snake thought with anger. _'This whole tournament isn't very "kid-friendly" if you ask me.'_

It was frustrating, but Link and a few other Smashers helped him develop four sets of "special moves" as they called them. On top of that, Snake was allowed to use hand grenades, the Nikita missile launcher Master Hand had conjured for him and other explosives like Claymores and even a digital replica of an RPG thanks to the master computer in the control room. In three weeks time since Shadow Moses and arriving in this dimension, he had already turned himself into a formidable fighter, although he was still lacking a midair recovery move.

The two Smashers continued walking, Link doing most of the talking while Snake half-listened. He badly wanted a cigarette at the moment, but Master Hand had forbid him to smoke in the hallways. Some bullshit about a fire hazard or something like that.

'_That damn hand is really starting to get on my nerves. What's next? A dress code?'_

The pair continued walking until they reached the door to Snake's room.

"Okay Snake, I'll see you tomorrow. Remember, we have a team battle against Mario and his brother Luigi at noon," Link said. Snake gave a curt nod and opened a pouch from the front of his suit and fished for his room keys. But before he could open his door, he heard the distinctive sound of heavy metal clanking against the floor.

He looked over his shoulder as some kind of mechanized robot rounded the corner, heading towards them. The thing was twice Snake's height, covered from head to toe in orange and yellow armor. Some kind of cannon covered the lower part of its arm from the elbow down. It looked dangerous, and Snake didn't want to see what it could do at the moment.

A green, glowing visor covered where the face area should have been, but the area was so bright that Snake couldn't see inside. He could have sworn it turned its head slightly to look at him as it walked by, the heavy sound of footsteps disappearing as quickly as they had come. Snake turned to Link, who was still staring at the place where the being had disappeared.

"What the hell was that?" Snake asked. Link simply shook his head as he turned back to the mercenary, old memories running through his mind.

"That was Samus, one of the other Smashers," Link said. "Must have just gotten back today from Goddesses-know-where."

"So, that's why I haven't seen the guy around before," Snake commented. Link stared at Snake for a moment before bursting out into laughter.

"What's so funny?" Snake muttered dangerously. Link stopped laughing and shook his head, a grin still on his face.

"Snake, Samus isn't a guy. Believe it or not, Samus is a girl."

"What?" Snake asked, genuinely surprised.

"Well, at least that's what the Smasher database says," Link added. "You know, I've been here ever since the first Super Smash Brothers tournament, and so has Samus. Even I don't know what she looks like underneath that Power Suit of hers."

"Power Suit? So that's what she's wearing," Snake said. He still had a hard time believing there was really a girl underneath all of that heavy armor. He didn't know any girl who could move around in something like that Hell, not even a man, possibly unless they were as large as Vulcan Raven, could move around under that much weight.

"Yeah, and let me tell you, she's tough as nails. She actually won the first tournament and was in the top five in the last one. I wouldn't underestimate her if I were you, Snake," Link added.

"Hmm…secretive and dangerous, huh? My kind of woman…" Snake muttered with a lecherous grin.

"Don't get too excited," Link said as he shook his head. "The last one who tried was Captain Falcon, and he was in the hospital wing for two weeks for third degree burns. She doesn't talk to anyone here at the mansion. Most of the time when she's not fighting, she's either in her room or out on her ship." He paused for a moment to stare at his friend, who was still staring at the spot where Samus had disappeared.

"Anyway Snake, I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast," Link finished as he walked away, heading to the veteran dorms to his own room.

Snake was lost in thought as he opened the door to his room. He didn't know why, but he couldn't stop thinking about what Link had just told him about Samus and that green visor that he was sure faced him for a moment as she walked past. He wasn't too keen on testing that suit's abilities in combat, but he couldn't help but wonder what that face behind that green visor actually looked like. Even if she looked like a burn victim or a disfigured mess, he was still curious to see what lay under that helmet.

"_She's tough as nails…She doesn't' talk to anyone here at the mansion…I wouldn't underestimate her if I were you Snake."_

As he slept that night, he wasn't haunted by visions of Meryl or Liquid for once. Instead, that visor continued staring at him, its green aura a strangely comforting presence.

* * *

**Wow, I thought I'd never finish this chapter. I actually started it a year ago and had it halfway done but I didn't like how it was turning out, so I scrapped it. Then came the writer's block, but with some help I was able to overcome it. Special thanks to The Stupendous Jimbo for helping me with this chapter. Really appreciate it, bro.**

**Anyway, hi everyone, long time no see! How are you all? Yeah I know, it's been awhile but I've been away at college all this time. My original plan was to continue writing on the side, but I quickly became so involved with college life and keeping up with the workload that I lost all of the inspiration I once had to write. Yes, in short, college drained my creativity. **

**But now that I've survived just about two and a half years of college and am currently on Thanksgiving break however, I'm finally back and I'm ready to start writing again, especially during Winter Break while I'm working at a supermarket to make money on the side. I can't make too many promises about when updates will be since I'm still dealing with finishing up my other fic, LAH: Life After Hyrule, plus one-shots that I've been wanting to write for some time now, but I'll try not to keep you all anxiously waiting for years for the next chapter for now on. Also, I'm not sure where the future will take me since I'm growing up and my life is just getting started, but I'm hoping fan fiction will still be a part of it and will help me develop my own original fiction eventually. Can you believe it's been four years since I first published LAH? Wow, now THAT is truly mind blowing, folks.**

**I'd also like to extend a very special thanks to everyone who's been reading, reviewing, favorite-ing, and overall, supporting this story for all this time. Seriously, you all have been constantly on my mind all this time, and your support keeps me driving to update and come up with even better ideas. I couldn't ask for better fans, you guys are the best! **

**Okay, well that's enough rambling from me. Not sure when the next chapter will be since I'm still working out the plot line for this fic, but hopefully it won't be too long. If anyone has ideas or suggestions, feel free to let me know in a review as I'm always open to suggestions and criticism. Check out my author profile for updates on story progress since I tend to update it every now and then. Anyway thanks for reading, please review, and once again thanks for all the support over the years!**

**-Chief**

**P.S: I have been considering changing my author name for some time now. I might go through with it, so don't be surprised if you find this story listed underneath another author name, but rest assured it'll still be me and all of my previous work will still be there. I just feel that a change is due, especially since I will be turning 21 very soon. Wow, how time flies!**


	6. Chapter 6: Nightmares and Discoveries

**DISCLAIMER:**** I don't own Metal Gear Solid or Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Metal Gear Solid belongs to Konami and Hideo Kojima, and Brawl belongs to Nintendo and HAL Laboratories.**

**NOTE:**** I'd like to give special thanks to GameFAQs and in particular El Greco for his magnificent Twin Snakes game script. It's been a long time since I played Twin Snakes and I can't use YouTube too much here at my home since I don't have the best internet connection, so this guide is what I use whenever I write the flashback/dream sequences. For those of you who don't enjoy all the flashbacks, I apologize and promise that there will be much less of them in upcoming chapters, but I believe that they're necessary not only to set up the plot and to give a greater background to Snake's character, but also to inform those who have never played Twin Snakes or Metal Gear Solid in general about what Snake went through on Shadow Moses and in the first two Metal Gear games (excluding the non-canonical "Snake's Revenge" for the NES). **

**ADDITIONAL NOTE:**** I find it fair to warn you all that there's a bit of disturbing material covered in this chapter involving torture (nothing too serious) and a hint at rape. I won't say much about it other than my apologies in advance if anyone is offended or disturbed by these subjects and that I don't promote nor endorse either activity. Feel free to skip over the parts you don't care for if you find it offensive. Okay, with that settled, let's begin.**

**Chapter Six: Nightmares and Discoveries**

For the next three weeks Snake spent most of his time in the control room's holographic stages, either fighting in tournament matches or training with Ike or Link. Although he was starting to like the two swordsmen, he still refused to label them with the word "friends." Solid Snake didn't have any friends; that is, aside from Colonel Roy Campbell and the late Frank Jaeger. A life filled with war, tragedy, and betrayal had hardened him to the point where he believed he was better off alone. Other people merely complicated his life.

Even with the focus and energy the tournament demanded of him, Snake still couldn't get the image of Samus' green visor out of his head. He had only seen the walking behemoth once since that day in the hallway, but again Samus merely ignored him. He had asked Marth and a few of the other Smashers about her, but all of them would simply drop the subject as if it hadn't even come up. He had even taken a risk and asked Peach and Zelda, but Zelda only narrowed her eyes and walked off while Peach gave him a sympathetic look before following her friend.

Why did everyone he talked to clam up after he mentioned Samus' name? Having no intelligence was frustrating, especially since he didn't even know which room held which Smasher, and he had no way of knowing without breaking into random rooms. Normally he might have attempted it, but since he still didn't know much about this alternate universe, he didn't want to go looking for trouble.

The tournament was one of the only things that seemed to be going his way. Even after eight official one-on-one matches, Snake had yet to lose a match. Most of the newcomers were in awe of the soldier's success, while veterans such as Mario and Fox only considered it "beginner's luck."

"I'm still not impressed," Fox muttered to Falco one afternoon after Snake left the control room to recover from a battle with the Ice Climbers.

"The hell you talking about, Foxy? The guy's still undefeated!" Falco exclaimed.

"We saw the same thing with Mewtwo during the Melee tournament," Fox countered. "He went eleven matches without a loss before he faced Ganondorf. Plus, Snake doesn't have an aerial recover move yet. I wouldn't put too much faith in his winning streak."

"Still, you can't deny he has the devil's luck."

"Maybe," Fox said. "But luck only gets you so far."

* * *

_Complete darkness. He couldn't tell if his eyes were open or not. But he could hear voices surround him. He was lying on his back on what felt like a smooth surface. Maybe steel? But where was he? And why did it feel like his limbs were tied down by something?_

"_Don't kill him yet. I want him alive," one accented male voice said._

"_Leave it to me," another male spoke, this one raspy as if it were coming from an old man._

"_I want no more accidents like that DARPA Chief," the first voice ordered._

"_Yes," said a third, this one female. "He's my target. Mine alone," she purred._

_Light began to seep into the darkness. He felt his eyelids opening slowly. Who were those voices? Why did they sound so familiar? And where was he? _

"_Can you hear me, Solid Snake?" the accented voice asked. _

_Wait a moment…Snake? Solid Snake? That was his name. He was a soldier, a former FOXHOUND operative that retired a few years ago. A living legend, or so the tales about him praised. _

"_He's tougher than I thought…" the female voice muttered. Snake felt someone lean over his face. He could barely make out the features. Long blonde hair, British accent, those piercing eyes…_Liquid.

"_Do you know who I am?" he asked. "I always knew that one day I would meet you. The man who stole what was rightly mine; the man who stole my birthright! Me? I'm the man you stole everything good from."_

_Liquid left Snake's vision, walking away toward his companions, whoever they were. They sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place names and faces to the voices. _

"_And now, after the sacrifice of our brothers," he continued, "after thirty long years, finally the two of us meet. The brother of light and the brother of dark." _

"_Do you need his DNA too?" the raspy voice asked. _

"_Yes, I want a sample while he's still alive," Liquid said. "We need it to correct the Genome Soldier's mutations."_

"_Then we'll be able to cure them?" the old man asked._

"_No. We still have to get our hands on Big Boss' DNA."_

_Genome Soldiers? Big Boss? Brothers? Snake searched his memories, remembering something about an island called Shadow Moses. Wait…Shadow Moses? Memories and images started flooding his mind. Faces and scenarios of a mission that had gone awry and forever changed his life. But…that had already happened, hadn't it? His head hurt._

"_Have they given into our demands yet?" the female asked._

"_Not yet," Liquid said._

"_They won't give in," the female said. "They're all hypocrites, every one of them."_

"_Is this your opinion as a Kurd?"_

"_They always put politics first," she said with disdain._

"_That's right," he confirmed. "That's why they want to avoid any leak about their precious new nuclear weapon."_

'Nuclear weapon? Wait…do they mean Metal Gear? In that case…'

"_Boss, it looks like our friend is awake," the raspy voice said._

_Snake felt his body lifted upright, his vision finally clear. He remembered everything now._

_In front of him stood Liquid Snake, a man he thought to finally be dead. Next to him stood a woman he recognized as Sniper Wolf. The blonde assassin had died by his hand in a shootout outside Metal Gear's underground research base. He glanced out of the corner of his eyes at his hands, which were strapped down to a metallic surface: Ocelot's torture device._

_Ocelot, or rather Revolver Ocelot, the man who Snake had dueled with gun-to-gun to rescue President Baker from an elaborate trap involving trip wires and C4. Not that it did much good since Baker died from a "heart attack" shortly after, at least according to what Naomi said. _

'Naomi…FoxDie…'

_Snake remembered he had been brought to this room shortly after he was captured by Sniper Wolf. Right after what happened to Meryl…_

"_There definitely is a resemblance. Don't you think, little brother?" Liquid sneered. "Or should I say big brother? I'm not sure…Anyway, it doesn't matter. You and I are both the last surviving 'sons of Big Boss.'"_

_Just like Snake remembered, Liquid's cell phone started to ring at that moment. He pulled it out of the pocket of his trench coat and held it up to his ear._

"_It's me…Really? Then what?" Liquid's face scrunched up, his lips forming into a scowl. "Ugh, those idiots!" He bit back a curse and tried to control his temper. "Alright Raven. I'll be right there."_

_He put his phone back in his pocket and looked back at Ocelot and Wolf._

"_They're not responding to our demands. We'll launch the first one in ten hours as planned."_

"_Damn Americans!" Wolf spat._

"_Looks like you read them wrong," Ocelot observed. _

"_Something's funny," Liquid frowned as he paced. "Normally the Americans are the first ones to the negotiating table. They must think they've got something up their sleeves."_

"_So it's come down to this, has it? We're going to launch that nuke and ride it all the way into history," Ocelot said with a grin._

_Liquid ignored his subordinate's excitement. "I've got to take care of some launch preparations. You're in charge here, Ocelot."_

_Ocelot turned to Wolf, who was looking at her nails with a bored look. "What about you? Wanna stay for the show?"_

"_I'm not interested," she replied. "It's time to feed the family." She took out a small canister filled with what looked like some kind of pill. She took one and promptly swallowed one._

'Probably Pentazemin…'_ Snake thought, remembering using the drug himself to steady his aim with the PSG1 sniper rifle._

"_So, you prefer your wolves to my show, huh?"Ocelot asked with an amused grin._

"_Ocelot, don't screw up like you did with the Chief," Liquid said._

"_Yes, I know. That was an accident," Ocelot replied. He scratched the back of his long white hair. "I didn't think a pencil pusher like him would be so tough."_

"_Well…his mental defenses were reinforced by hypnotherapy." _

_A thought came to Ocelot. "Boss, what about that ninja?"_

"_He killed twelve men," Liquid frowned. "Whoever he is, he's some kind of lunatic."_

'Gray Fox…'_ Snake thought with a grin. The man who had once been Frank Jaeger had saved him at least three times on Shadow Moses, only to fall against Liquid and Metal Gear REX. Though he'd never admit it, Snake still missed the man he would always consider a brother._

"_Bastard took my hand…" Ocelot scowled. He gestured to the surgically wrapped stump that used to be his right hand. "How could he have gotten in here?"_

"_Perhaps there's a spy among us," Liquid pondered. "Mantis is dead. We've also got to find out what killed Baker and Octopus. We're shorthanded, so make this little torture show of yours as short as possible."_

"_Torture?" Ocelot questioned with a look of mock-innocence. "This is an interrogation."_

"_As you wish," Liquid muttered. He took a few steps toward Snake, looking him up and down._

"_See you later, _brother_…" he said with a grin before breaking into a brisk walk out of the room. Wolf came up to Snake's ear before she left as well. He could feel her breath tickle the hairs on his ear._

"_Your woman is still in this world…" she whispered._

"_Meryl…" Snake muttered. He felt Wolf caress his cheek lightly. Ocelot gave off a wolf-whistle which Wolf returned with a glare. She turned back to Snake and dropped her hand, eyeing his well-defined abs and naked torso._

"_Catch you later, handsome," she said with a seductive smile as she walked out the door. Ocelot shook his head in amazement. Snake had to admit, if she wasn't a psychotic killer he would have definitely gone after _that_ himself. He almost regretted shooting her, but after what had happened to Meryl…_

"_Once she picks a target, she doesn't think about anything else," Ocelot said, interrupting Snake's thoughts. "Sometimes she even falls in love with them before she kills them."_

_Ocelot walked over to him, studying his figure. Aside from his bandana, pants, and boots, all of Snake's gear had been taken, leaving his chest naked._

"_Finally, just the two of us. How are you feeling?"_

'As if you'd really care,' _Snake thought with disgust._

"_Not bad," he said. "I caught a nice nap on this revolving bed of yours. Too bad I was sleeping alone."_

_He was careful to repeat what he said before when this happened the first time. It was obvious he was having another nightmare. Maybe if he played along with how things went down originally, nothing bad would happen. Well, aside from the pain of thousands of volts of electricity frying his body, but he hoped he would wake up before then._

"_Glad to hear that," Ocelot chuckled. "This is some bed all right. I'm about to show you some of its nicer features."_

"_Where are my things?"_

"_Oh don't worry. They're all there," Ocelot gestured to a box behind the so-called "bed." _

"_Washington was taking quite a chance sending you here. Someone must have a lot of faith in your skill. Huh, carrier boy?"_

_Snake ignored the taunt. "So, Metal Gear is armed with a new type of nuclear warhead, huh?"_

"_Why don't you go ask Campbell for the full story?"_

"_The Colonel?"_

"_By the way, you got an optical disk from President Baker, didn't you?"_

"_What if I did?" Snake asked with a smirk._

"_Is that the only disk? There's no other data?"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_There's no copy?" Ocelot asked. "If not, that's fine."_

"_Is Meryl okay?"_

_Ocelot's eyes playfully danced with glee as his lips cured into a smirk. Snake glared daggers at the gunslinger. "She's not dead yet. Wolf must have been feeling generous. But if you want her to stay that way, you better start answering my questions right now." He stepped closer to Snake._

"_You were holding one card key. Where are the other two?" Ocelot said as he pointed an accused finger at his captive. "What's the trick behind that key! That weasel of a president said there's some kind of trick to using that key."_

"_Hell if I know," Snake stated, still glaring at the man._

"_I see. No problem, then." Ocelot said. _

_Snake knew what was coming next. Ocelot would say something about playing a game with him for Meryl's life. He had been trained to withstand torture, but Ocelot's machine was something else entirely. He hoped he woke up soon; he didn't want to endure the torture session again, even if it wasn't real. _

"_I thought this might happen. Perhaps you need a little persuasion," Ocelot grinned as he snapped his fingers._

'Wait a moment, that didn't happen last time! What's he up to?' _Snake panicked, although he refused to show it._

_The door slid open as two Genome Soldiers pulled in an unconscious woman, her legs dragging on the ground as they hauled her in by the shoulders. Her mouth was gagged, her hands and legs bound together by crude rope. Several gunshot wounds were bandaged but bloodied. She was covered head to toe in scratches and bruises. _

_Her flaming red hair was messy and caked with dried blood, but Snake would have recognized her anywhere. _

'"_Meryl!"_

"_The Colonel's niece here will serve as our bargaining chip," Ocelot said as the two Genome Soldiers dropped her limp body to the floor and walked off without a word. Snake struggled as hard as he could against the restraints, but it was useless. Ocelot walked over to the broken girl and knelt down on his haunches, stroking her hair with his left hand. Her breathing was very shallow, too shallow for Snake's comfort. He could barely tell she was breathing._

"_You sick bastard…" Snake growled. _

"_Like I said, she's still alive. But if you want her to stay that way, you'd better start talking!"_

_Ocelot grabbed his signature Colt Single Action Army out of its holster and pointed it at Meryl's head. He cocked the hammer back and looked up at Snake with a sadistic smile._

"_I'm not a fan of Russian roulette; each chamber holds a bullet. One answer I don't like and her brains will be splattered all over the floor," he sneered. "Now tell me: what's the secret behind those card keys!"_

_Snake looked away, biting his lip. He couldn't let her die, not like last time…_

_A low groaning sound caught his attention. Snake saw Meryl's eyes open. They were faint, but there was still life behind those chocolate rookie orbs of hers._

"_Don't…Snake…"_

"_Meryl!" he yelled._

"_Snake…don't…" she stifled a cough. "…don't tell them…I'm not worth it…" she mumbled as she struggled to keep her eyes open._

"_Don't say that! I won't lose you again!" he shouted._

"_My, my, isn't this touching?" Ocelot mocked as he pressed the barrel of his Colt even harder against her forehead. "I'll ask you one more time Snake: where are the other keys? What's the secret behind this one!"_

"_I…" Snake started. He weighed his options: tell Ocelot and have a nuclear war on his hands, or Meryl's life? He sighed. He couldn't do it to her again. Not again._

"_There's only one key," he muttered as he turned his head to stare at the wall. He couldn't bear to look at Meryl as he divulged the last bit of information that could save the world from nuclear Armageddon. At least, that's what Meryl believed, but he learned later that inputting the card keys actually _activated_ the nukes. "It's controlled by temperature. It changes shape according to what temperature it's exposed to: hot, cold, or room."_

_Ocelot grinned even wider. "Good man. I like what I heard…"_

_Snake sighed in defeat. He had failed his mission, but at least Meryl would live._

"…_But I'm afraid I'm not feeling as generous as Wolf at the moment."_

_Snake's eyes flashed open, pure horror on his face as Ocelot grabbed Meryl by the hair. She cried out in pain as he forcibly lifted her head up while pressing the Colt into the side of her skull as hard as he could._

"_I already had my fun with her, so it'd be pointless to do it again," he said, licking his lips and eyeing Meryl's limp figure with a ravenous look. "Well…maybe I _would_ do it again if I had the time," he chuckled. Never had Snake felt more loathing for another human being then he did for Ocelot at that moment. He would have beat the old bastard's face in until there was nothing left if he could only get free._

"_But alas, orders are orders. I'll make this quick. Look into his eyes Meryl; they'll be the last thing you'll ever see," Ocelot said as he squeezed the trigger. Meryl looked into Snake's eyes with fear, tears running down her cheeks.  
_

"_NO! MERYL!" _

* * *

Snake awoke to a gunshot, his body in a cold sweat. It took him a moment to realize what had happened and why his SOCOM sat smoking in his hand with the safety off. A perfect bullet hole was imprinted in his wall, right where Ocelot should have been.

His body had reacted on instinct again. And…why did his eyes feel so blurry and wet?

He rubbed a finger in his right eye and realized it wasn't sweat. No, they were _tears_. He sighed and placed the SOCOM on the nightstand. Thankfully the silencer was still on it; if someone had heard the gunshot, he would have had a hard time explaining it to his neighbor, Meta Knight.

The former soldier placed his face in his hands as he tried to shake the image of Ocelot, grinning like a madman as he abused a defenseless Meryl. He took a few deep breaths and tried to steady his breathing with a relaxation exercise.

He stifled a cough as he reluctantly folded back the warm sheets of his bed and stood up.

He needed a smoke.

* * *

The warm, fresh air felt rejuvenating as it struck Snake's bearded face on the balcony. Clad only in combat boots, black pants and a light grey T-shirt, the mercenary leaned over the balcony's edge and stared into the forest, deep in thought. Each floor of the Smasher's living quarters had one balcony at the end of the hallway. Snake often found himself using it whenever he couldn't sleep or wanted a smoke. Combined with the calming sensation the nicotine sent through his senses, it was close to bliss.

He continued to mull over his latest nightmare. It had been at least a few nights since Meryl had appeared in one. He was used to nightmares; in fact, usually his dreams were filled with memories of Outer Heaven or Zanzibar Land. Dreams about Big Boss returning from the grave; a burned corpse devoid of flesh, his eyes burning with intense hatred for the man who had set him aflame and literally burned him alive at Zanzibar Land. But of course, that was before Shadow Moses.

He still couldn't forget Meryl, no matter how hard he tried. He had taken time to grieve for her and for Frank in private during the first week of the tournament and he thought it would be the end of it. She wouldn't be on his mind all day, but as soon as he slept, she haunted his dreams. They were always of her dying, or of her visiting him and reminding him that he failed to save her. Usually Ocelot or Liquid would follow to mock him, although it was usually Liquid.

'_But they were never this intense,'_ he thought, the cigarette hanging loosely from his mouth.

By the moon's position, Snake estimated it was around three in the morning. Had it been an hour already? As much as he didn't wish to return to his world of nightmares, his body needed the rest if he was to stand any chance against Lucario today. After one last inhale, he tossed the remains of his cigarette on the deck. He stomped out the butt with his heel, opened the glass slider and stepped back inside the air-conditioned mansion. Damn, he'd have to remember to ask Master Hand where he could buy another pack. His room only came with enough to last a month.

He walked down the hallway with his hands in his pockets, his thoughts lingering on Meryl and his botched mission on Shadow Moses. The media attention surrounding the bombing of the island had died down several weeks ago, with Jim Houseman being honored as a national hero by the President for his "brave decision to neutralize a serious nuclear threat to the entire world."

'_Hero my ass…'_ Snake thought with anger. He hated Houseman almost as much as he hated Liquid and Ocelot. How he wished he could assassinate the conceited bastard who had the audacity to call Snake "an embarrassment from the 1970s." Houseman had taken the credit for the sacrifices he and many others had made. In return, the lying son of a bitch had had the Colonel removed from command, probably to "disappear" from existence along with Naomi, Mei Ling, and anyone else who knew what really happened.

And what about Otacon, the young engineer who had matured from a frightened mouse of a man into a trusted informant and, dare Snake say it, a friend? Or Nastasha, the weapons expert who had helped Snake learn how to use his weapons and to take down Vulcan Raven's Abrams tank and Liquid's Hind D? Snake had no idea what happened to any of them. He still tinkered with his broken codec on his free time and would try their frequencies, but all he picked up was static.

No, it was best only to focus on the present. He couldn't do anything from where he was. He was supposed to be making a new life for himself. Smash Mansion was his home now. Who cared if another madman threatened to blow up the world with a nuke or another Metal Gear? Let someone else deal with it; it wasn't his problem anymore.

As Snake rounded another corner in the darkened hallway, a flash of blonde caused him to stop abruptly. He darted back behind the edge of the corner and peered down the hall.

A blonde-haired individual dressed in some type of blue bodysuit had just stepped out into the hallway. It was too far to see the finer details, but by the way the person was standing, Snake knew it was definitely a woman. She closed the door behind her gently and locked it with a key before checking both ends of the hallway. Snake darted back around the corner when she looked his way and breathed a silent sigh of relief when the woman took off down the other end of the hallway.

He waited a few moments before he left his cover and walked over to the door the woman had closed.

Hang on a moment. _Woman_? Now that he thought about it more, Snake only knew two Smashers that were women: Peach and Zelda. He immediately ruled out Peach: not her style, plain and simple. It could have been Zelda in her Sheik disguise. But then again, Snake was positive he hadn't seen any bandages.

If that was the case, then who was that woman and why had he never seen her around before? Was she an intruder? A spy of some kind?

He walked down the hallway until he stood in front of the door the woman had exited from. A patterned circle with an "S" shaped lightning bolt was carved into the door; the sharp edges of the bolt protruded slightly from the circle. He didn't recognize it, but he was sure it belonged to one of the Smashers.

Could it be that the woman had broken into this room?

Snake gripped the smooth brass doorknob. Should he go in? Technically he wasn't "supposed" to, but since when did that ever stop him? He was also poorly prepared. His SOCOM was back in his room, and aside from hand-to-hand combat and a pocket knife he carried around on him at all times, he was weaponless. Not to mention he had no body armor, not that he thought he'd need it.

'_But with my luck, all hell could break loose as soon as I step through the doorway...' _

Logic told him he should go back for his SOCOM. What if that woman came back? But for one of the few times in his life, he ignored logic. Something inside of him needed to know what was behind that. He couldn't quite explain it. Was it simple curiosity? It certainly didn't feel like it.

Before he could think about it any further, he had already picked the lock with his pocket knife and had shut the door behind him. Too late to turn back now.

* * *

The room was pitch black. Snake felt around for a light switch next to him until he felt some kind of button. Hoping it wasn't an alarm of some kind, the soldier held his breath and pressed it.

Fluorescent lights hummed to life overhead as he saw what looked more like a prisoner's holding cell rather than what was supposed to be a woman's living quarters. The walls were made of steel and aside from one metallic work bench with a wooden chair, a few work lamps, a dresser, an empty closet and a bed, there wasn't anything but bare space in the room.

'_So much for frilly dresses and pink ribbons..'_ Snake thought dryly. He was sure now that the woman, whoever she was, didn't belong here.

He walked around the room, looking for a closet or evidence of some kind. The drawers of the dresser had nothing in them either. If the woman had actually been an intruder, was there something she was looking for?

While he looked over by the bed, his eyes spotted an unnatural crease in the wall. He traced it with his hands; there was definitely a door there.

It didn't take him long to find the access panel next to it. He pried off the keypad with his pocket knife and examined the wiring. He eyed the mess of red, blue, green, and black wiring with a growl. This rewiring garbage wasn't his forte, even after countless lessons with Big Boss back during his rookie days in FOXHOUND.

'_Too bad there isn't anyone around here I could frisk for a code...'_

He held his breath and cut the blue and black wires before rewiring them to the keypad. He muttered a silent prayer before pressing the "enter" key. To his amazement, the wall slid open with a hiss to reveal another darkened room. He grabbed one of the work lamps and shined light into the chamber. What he saw nearly gave him a stroke.

The armored helmet and green visor of one Samus Aran looked back at him through a cryogenic tube of some kind, the rest of the Power Suit standing motionless in place as if it were a mannequin. Rows of what looked like portable missiles, bombs, and other advanced weaponry lined the walls of the room. It was a science fiction nerd's dream come true.

'_Of course! Link said Samus was supposed to be a woman. But, if the armor's here, then that means…'_

"Freeze," an icy voice hissed from behind. Snake felt the weight of a pistol pressed against his skull.

* * *

**And I'll leave things there. I thought about going on, but I just couldn't resist the cliffhanger (evil smirk). Finally, I got Samus and Snake to meet! You can guess that there will be some obvious tension between the two in the next chapter, and from here onward the story will really take off. **

**I'm deeply sorry it's been so long since the last chapter. I could spend all day giving excuses, but I think I'll just save you all the hassle and simply say that real life is a bitch, college saps my imagination and energy to write, and summer vacation is a blessing in disguise. Sadly this is going to be my last summer vacation since I'll be graduating from college in less than nine months or so now (so scary!). Anyway I'm doing well and rest assured, this story will go on, but don't expect frequent updates. I'm really trying to finish my other story, LAH, before the year ends so I can focus on this story and start new projects including some original fiction ideas. As much as I love fan fiction, it won't pay the bills and I don't even own any of what I write (aside from the idea). **

**My good friend **_**The Stupendous Jimbo**_** has volunteered to be my beta reader for LAH, but his expertise doesn't quite include Metal Gear Solid or deeply serious stories (sorry Jimbo!), so I'm looking for a beta reader for this story still. If you're interested, visit my author profile for details.**

**Also here are a few unsigned reviews I forgot to respond to:**

_**Flowershop78 (Chapter 5)**_**: Thank you, I'm glad you think so! I know I said I'd get started on the pairing last chapter, but well…it's starting now! Better late than never, right? Haha.**

_**Gin (Chapter 4): **_**Haha, it's made me want to play it again too many times. Unfortunately my friend owns it but I don't. I've seen a few copies at GameStop but they're up around $30, which is a bit much for me sadly. Did you mean your PS1 instead of your Dreamcast? I'm pretty sure MGS1 was a PS1 exclusive…well aside from the remake on GCN and the PC version.**

_**Emmy (Chapters 4 and 5):**_** Glad you like it! Yes, I do remember the fic (since it's updated now, haha) and sorry you had to wait so long. I just don't have as much imagination or time as I used to when I was in high school. Thanks for the praise; it's now three years of college completed and only one more to go! And yeah, part of the inspiration for this story was the lack of good SSB stories that actually depict Snake as he's meant to be depicted and the obviously few SSB fans that have actually PLAYED a MGS game. I've read a few that do a decent job, but some have characterized him as a womanizing pig like Captain Falcon (which both aren't) or some just get everything about Snake completely wrong. And yes, go Snakeus! Haha.**

**There, I think that's everybody. I'm fairly sure I've responded to all reviews so far but if I didn't, I apologize. If you leave another one, I'll be sure to respond!  
**

**As always, check out my profile to see the progress of the next chapter of this story and my other works. Please review, they help make the story better and give me the incentive to update quicker. Reviews are like candy to an author: we love them! As always, thanks for reading and for your continued support everyone, I deeply appreciate it. Until next time!**

**-Chief**


	7. Chapter 7: Late Night Encounters

**DISCLAIMER:**** Once again, I don't own Metal Gear Solid or Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Metal Gear Solid belongs to Konami and Hideo Kojima, and Brawl belongs to Nintendo and HAL Laboratories. However, I **_**do**_** own (or at least I like to think that I do) the idea for this story and all fictitious situations that are covered herein and in previous chapters. This story was created by me for entertainment and training purposes only and does not, nor attempts to, derive any kind of profit from its publication on this site.**

…**I think that sounds official enough, don't you think? **

**Chapter Seven: Late Night Encounters**

Snake raised his hands over his head, his pocket knife still clutched in his fist. His captor kept the barrel of the pistol pressed firmly against his skull.

"Drop it," the voice ordered. Snake's pocket knife clattered to the floor.

The voice sounded female, and if Snake's hunch was right (which they usually were), he had a fairly good idea who it was. He tried to turn his head for a look but only felt even more pressure against his scalp.

"I said freeze!" she exclaimed. Snake kept his hands raised and stood as still as a board. He wasn't in the mood for a bullet to the head, and the way his attacker's hand shook didn't comfort him in the slightest. He couldn't help but chuckle; boy did this scenario feel like déjà vu.

"Is this the first time you've ever pointed a gun at a person? Your hand is shaking," he observed.

Snake felt the hesitation in his attacker's hand before he felt a painful metallic whack against the back of his head. He lurched forward and fell on one knee with a grunt. He was then forced on both knees by a tight grip on his shoulder. Whoever it was didn't like to play around.

'_Shouldn't this be the other way around?'_ he thought with a sly grin. Meryl had hit the nail right on the head back on Shadow Moses: he truly was a real bastard.

"Shut up! I'm the one asking questions. What are you doing in my room?"

"Turn me around and I'll tell ya."

The woman paused, her pistol still pressed firmly against Snake's head, ready to blow it off without another thought. He tried once again to get a decent look at the woman, but unfortunately he faced a bad angle. The glass surrounding the Power Suit was too far away to see a good reflection, but he could tell by the figure's slim outline that it was definitely a woman.

To his surprise, the weight of the pistol disappeared and he heard the woman take a few steps back.

"Put your hands behind your head then stand up slowly. No sudden movements," she warned. Snake complied and placed both hands behind his head before he rose to his feet.

"Turn around."

Snake did as he was told, turning his body until he was face to face with his attacker. It was her: the girl he saw in the hallway before. _This_ was Samus Aran? She was definitely not what he'd envisioned. How could a frail little girl like her haul that heavy suit around? Sure, she was about Snake's height and her arms looked toned, but he'd expected to find a woman the size of a bodybuilder underneath that armor.

She wore a bright blue one-piece jumpsuit that hugged her hourglass figure like a second skin. It accented every feature of her body.

'_Especially the chest area,'_ Snake noted with a smirk.

Her long honey-blonde locks were tied in a ponytail. A strange glowing symbol that looked like a bird's eye adorned her left breast. In her hands was a customized pistol, the make and size similar to a .50 caliber Desert Eagle or a Colt M1911. Even though he was on its business side, he couldn't help but be a tad curious to see what it could do.

What caught Snake's attention the most was not her stunning figure or her "hardware," but her eyes. They matched her suit; an alluring deep shade of blue. But there was hardened discipline behind them, the look of a warrior. She looked to be in her mid-twenties, but her eyes were much older. He had no doubt that she had killed many times before. There was something else there too, but he couldn't quite make it out.

"Would you stop staring already!" she snapped. "Yes, I'm a girl; whoop-de-fucking-do. Now I'll ask one more time: what are you doing in my room?"

Snake ignored her. "_You're _Samus Aran? Why are you sneaking around in the middle of the night?"

"I'm the one with the gun here asshole," she spat. "Who are you and what do you want?"

Snake smirked, amused with her tough-as-nails attitude (Link hadn't been kidding about that one). He couldn't help but wonder if her bite was half as good as her bark.

He decided to test the waters. He took one step forward, hands still raised. Nothing happened. He took another small step. A blinding pink laser left a smoking hole right in front of his feet.

Snake would have whistled if he wasn't being held at gunpoint. That pistol packed quite a punch.

"I mean it, don't move!" she barked. But he kept moving, right until the barrel was pressed against his chest. He had expected it to be hot, but the smooth metallic surface actually felt cool against his t-shirt.

"Why are you hesitating? You've obviously killed before."

Samus narrowed her gaze, locking eyes with the mercenary. Her finger squeezed the trigger, itching to end the life of this smartass intruder. She gasped when in one swift movement he lowered his hands and grabbed the end of the pistol. He pulled it against his chest, right where his heart was.

"Can you really shoot me, little girl?"

'_Little girl?'_ She was furious now. Her finger clutched the trigger even tighter.

Before she could blink, the pistol was out of her hands. Her eyes widened when she found her own pistol pointed directly at her head by the mysterious man.

"Not so tough without your toys, huh?" Snake said with a grin. Maybe he was wrong about this girl; maybe she really was just a rookie.

He spoke too soon. A blur kicked the pistol out of his hand before he saw a fist aiming for his face. He deflected it with his left hand and punched her in the stomach. What would have caused a normal man to wheeze barely even fazed her. Before he could react she elbowed him in the face, hard.

Snake stumbled backwards, stunned as his face burned as if he had been branded by hot iron. Did she really shake off a punch to the gut like it was nothing?

He shook the dizziness out of his vision just as another fist connected with his face. He grunted, ignoring the agonizing pain and unleashed a spin kick, using as much force as he could muster while praying he at least hit her. To his utter amazement, Samus leaped backward and over the kick, somersaulted in midair while curled up in a tight ball and landed smoothly in a crouch.

Snake's jaw nearly dropped. Who _was_ this woman? It was like fighting Gray Fox in his ninja form, only Samus seemed even stronger. Did that suit augment her strength? He shuddered to think what she could do in that Power Suit of hers.

Samus rushed at him, ready to tackle him to the ground. Snake sidestepped right before she reached him and grabbed her in a choke hold from behind. She violently struggled against his grip but he had a firm hold on her. As much as he hated to even acknowledge Big Boss's existence, his mentor had taught him well.

"Feisty, impressive moves, and beautiful," he whispered huskily in her ear. "Bet you're a dream in bed."

The faintest of blushes lit up her cheeks, but by that point Samus was pissed. No one _ever_ talked to her like that and got away breathing, let alone with their manhood intact.

She yelled in a fit of rage and slammed her heel into his left boot as hard as he could. Snake screamed in pain and loosened his grip enough that she broke free. Snake ignored the pain in his foot and aimed a roundhouse kick at her ribs. The huntress turned just in time and caught his boot in her hands and twisted it around, knocking Snake on his back before he even knew what was going on. He barely caught his breath before he was forced to roll out of the way from an aerial kick aimed at his head.

Snake quickly leapt to his feet and sent a hook at a still-kneeling Samus from behind. He was stunned when she caught it without even looking, lifted his entire body over her own as if he were a mere paperweight and sent him sprawled out on the floor with the wind knocked out of him.

He groaned as he tried to rise again, only to find himself staring down the sights of Samus' pistol. She grinned, a sadistic look in her eyes. Oh, she would make this pervert pay.

"Now then, what should I do first? Kill you or castrate you?" she asked in a not-so-innocent voice. Snake growled; he hated to admit it, but the blonde had some serious skill, and strength for that matter. He could see now why she could wear an armored suit. He knew when he was beaten. Not to mention he didn't like that malicious glint in her eyes.

"Okay," he grumbled, "how about a truce? You let me walk out of here alive, and I'll answer your questions."

Samus thought about it for a moment, keeping her pistol trained on the soldier. He couldn't believe that he, someone who had single-handedly taken out psychics, sharpshooters, ninjas, tanks, a Hind D helicopter, and bipedal nuclear monstrosities not once, but _three_ times, was at the mercy of a frail-looking girl with superhuman strength and a temper as hot as her laser. Samus and Sniper Wolf would have been best friends if they had ever met.

He was surprised when she smirked, lowered her pistol and held out her left hand. Snake reluctantly grabbed it and he was pulled to his feet.

"It's a deal, but only because I'm feeling merciful. Now tell me who you are?"

"My name's not important."

Samus cocked her gun again, aiming it at his head. Snake sighed; this trigger-happy bitch was giving him a headache. He pitied whoever got in her way when it was _that_ time of the month.

"They call me Solid Snake. Or just Snake, usually."

"Snake?" she snorted. "What the hell kind of name is _Snake_?"

"What kind of name is Samus Aran?"

She glared at him, one that would have caused lesser men to soil themselves. Snake narrowed his eyes, the hint of another smirk on his lips.

"Fair enough," she muttered as she lowered her pistol again but still kept a finger curled around the trigger. "Why were you snooping around?"

"Like I said, thought you were an intruder."

"Me? You're the one who broke into my room."

"Only because I saw you sneaking around. Besides, most rooms don't have suits of armor hidden in them."

Samus grit her teeth, her grip squeezing her pistol even tighter. It wasn't like her to lose her temper so easily, but this guy's mere existence made her blood boil like the lava of Magmoor Caverns. No one, and she meant it, _no one_ had ever gotten her this steamed up before in her entire life. Who was this guy?

"That's none of your business," she said. "The fact is that you were trespassing. That alone gives me an excuse to kill you."

"But you won't," he said.

"And why's that?"

"Because I'm so irresistible," he grinned.

He saw her eye twitch. He was laughing hysterically on the inside; she was way too easy to rile up. He knew he was already on thin ice, but still, this was way too much fun.

"Don't make me regret our truce," she said in a dangerous tone. "Remember, I'm the one with the gun here."

"Right…" he said, his grin fading slightly. "Those were some impressive moves back there. You a soldier?"

"Bounty hunter," she said with a smirk of her own. "Best in the galaxy."

'_That explains a bit,'_ Snake thought. "What's with the suit?"

"Why so nosy?"

"Why so guarded? Got something to hide?"

"Hmph, like I'd tell you," she said. "What do you care?"

"Dunno, haven't met many people who wear armor like that, let alone women as well-endowed you if you know what I mean," he said with another sly grin.

Samus almost fell to the floor. Did this guy have a death wish? Who in their right mind decides to keep flirting with their captor, especially when said captor is armed with a blaster pistol that could burn a hole through their brain in a second?

"I said I'd let you walk out of here. I didn't say in one piece," she spat as she raised her pistol at his face again. Snake didn't even flinch.

"Really now," he frowned. "I have a hard time believing someone as volatile as you could be the best bounty hunter in the galaxy."

"Wha—?"

"I'm a mercenary," Snake said, "and a soldier. In war, you have to keep a cool head. Giving into your emotions blinds you and endangers the mission. You make a mistake; you pay with your life."

Samus was surprised at how serious his expression was. One minute the guy was a perverted bastard, the next he talked like a hardened war veteran.

"And why should I care what you have to say?" she asked. "I've seen things that would give you nightmares for years."

"And I've done things that would haunt you to your grave," he said. "Being a legend like me comes with a price. Fiction is never a match for reality, I'm afraid."

"A legend?" she scoffed. "A pervert like you is a legend?"

"Believe what you want," he said, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants and turning his back to her. "Now if that's all, I'm heading back to my room."

He walked toward the door, grasped the handle and stepped out into the hallway. Before he shut the door, he paused for a moment and turned back to look at Samus. She was taken aback by his expression. Was it…pain?

"Not that it matters much, but you remind me of someone I once knew," he said.

"Who?" she asked.

"Never mind," he sighed as he shut the door, his mind deep in thought as he walked back down the hallway to his room. His face and body were still sore from his little scuffle with Samus, but he was too tired to care. Not to mention the bounty hunter had reminded him again of a certain redhead he'd been trying so hard to forget. He barely even remembered shutting the door to his room as he collapsed on his bed.

'_Goddammit, why can't the past just stay buried?'_

* * *

Snake awoke the next morning to the sound of something slamming into his door followed by rapid, retreating footsteps. He took the SOCOM off his nightstand out of habit and went to his door. Seeing no signs of movement outside the peephole, he opened his door. Nothing.

A glint of something metallic sticking out of his door caught his eye. It was his pocket knife; the one he had left in Samus's room the night before. A piece of folded paper was pinned by it. He holstered his SOCOM in the back part of his pants and yanked the knife out of his door and pocketed it before unfolding the paper.

_**I want a rematch. Come to the stage control room tomorrow evening at midnight. **_

_**Come prepared. I won't go easy on you this time.**_

_**-S**_

Snake reread the note a few times, the thrilling thought of battle filling him with excitement. So she wanted to play some more, huh? Who was he to turn down such an offer?

'_Looks like I got a date tomorrow night,' _he thought with a grin._ 'Count on it sweetheart, I'll be there.'_

* * *

**It happened! Samus and Snake have finally met. To those of you looking for fluff, sorry but you'll have to wait a bit longer. I'm trying to be somewhat realistic in this story, and realistically speaking, I think this is what Snake and Samus would have acted like. They're both warriors, and warriors understand each other best with their fists, in my opinion. And yes, Snake is still mourning Meryl, but hey he's also a perverted male who loves to hit on beautiful women (and frankly, I don't blame him, haha). But don't' worry, this is only the true beginning of the story. Not sure when the next chapter will be but stay tuned to my profile page for updates.**

**Anyway, sorry for the delay everyone (man, I really have to stop saying "sorry" so much). I would have had this up sooner but I had some issues with the dialogue and fight scene. If you have any tips, please tell me in a review and I'll do my best in the future. Part of the reason I'm writing this thing is to improve, so constructive criticism is always appreciated. **

**I was a bit disheartened at the lack of reviews last chapter (special shout out to AvidAkiraReader for the only review I got last chapter!), so I'm hoping I get more this chapter. I've seen a lot of favorite and story alert adds so I know people are reading (which is good), but reviews are the most useful (and encouraging) things us authors can get. I won't hold my story hostage or anything like some other authors do, but here's just a friendly reminder that reviews make the story better and encourage me to update faster!**

**On the bright side, I went through each chapter and corrected as many errors as I could find and changed a few minute details. You won't find anything too different from what I wrote before, but if you're curious to see what small little things I added, feel free to scan the other chapters. Expect these edited chapters to appear by tomorrow at the latest, but I'm thinking I'll have them up by tonight.**

**Believe it or not, but summer's just about over and I'm heading back to college next week. That said, I still technically have two weeks until classes start, but I just want to warn you all that updates will become less frequent once school starts. I'm going to aim for at least one chapter a month while alternating between LAH (until it's done) and this story. Hopefully since I won't be taking my Wii with me, I'll be able to focus more on my writing (both fan and original), my schoolwork and other responsibilities (going to be tackling an internship and a promotions position at my college radio station. Yeah I know, I'm crazy).**

**Thanks for reading, please review and I'm still looking for a beta reader for this story if anyone's interested!**

**-Chief**

**UPDATE (8/18): All edited chapters have replaced the old ones.  
**


	8. Chapter 8: Living Up to the Legend

**DISCLAIMER: Yet again, I do not own Metal Gear Solid or Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Metal Gear Solid belongs to Konami and Hideo Kojima, and Brawl belongs to Nintendo and HAL Laboratories. However, I _do_ own (or at least I like to think that I do) the idea for this story and all fictitious situations that are covered herein and in previous chapters. This story was created by me for entertainment and training purposes only and does not, nor attempts to, derive any kind of profit from its publication on this site.**

**NOTE: This chapter would have been absolutely terrible had it not been for my beta, _The Stupendous Jimbo_, who incidentally wounded up rewriting the whole bloody thing. I'd like to dedicate this chapter to him. If you enjoyed this chapter, could you please send him a huge "thank you for existing" memo? He'll not only appreciate it; he'll know that the past three weeks he spent torturing himself over this thing wasn't in vain.**

**Chapter Eight: Living Up to the Legend **

Link nearly choked on his scrambled cucco eggs. "You did _what_!?"

"You heard me."

"And you expect us to believe that you not only broke into Samus' room, but you actually walked out of there with your manhood still intact?"

"Would you like me to prove it?"

Before Link could respond, Snake stood up with a grin and grabbed his pants. The Hylian choked on his eggs again, astonishment radiating from his widened eyes. Everybody else around him nearly shouted until the mercenary sat back down with a satisfied grin on his face. He knew nobody would call his bluff after that.

Unbeknownst to Link, his jaw was completely slack, and he looked as if he were in a trance. Snake looked up at the Hylian again. "You know, you might want to close your mouth. Well, unless you want to attract flies."

"You don't get it Snake, this is _Samus Aran_ we're talking about here; the best bounty hunter there is," Fox said from his spot next to Link.

Falco nodded in agreement from Fox's other side. "Her reputation is even known in the Lylat System, which is over two million light years away from Federation space, mind you!"

"So what," Snake asked with a scoff.

"So what? _So what?!_ So you're probably on her list of people to kill now, that's what," Ike said from Snake's left side. "I don't know much about her myself – hell, I didn't even know about space travel until I got here – but from what I've heard; she's done some incredible things."

"Like?"

"Like how about taking out an entire planet full of Space Pirates not once, but twice!" Fox exclaimed. "The first time she really got noticed was after the destruction of their base on Zebes. When they reconstructed it, she did the whole thing over, _again_."

Snake raised an eyebrow "Didn't you take out a planetary base too?"

"Yeah. It took four of us. In Arwings. _And_ the help of our mother ship," Falco explained. "But still, we didn't end up _blowing up an entire freaking planet_!"

Snake grunted and took another sip of his coffee. He was calm on the outside, thanks to years of training under Master Miller and Big Boss. "Never show fear, not even to those you consider allies,_"_ Big Boss had once told him.

On the inside, however, he was more concerned. His snooping had only dug up so much about Ms. Aran. Not much Intel was available on the HoloNet, and the only information he could find was either old news stories or declassified documents from this so-called "Galactic Federation," which were no better than press releases at best. It wasn't the first time Snake found himself missing Otacon's hacking skills.

Link let out an agitated sigh as he ran a hand through his sandy blonde hair. "Look Snake, we're just worried. We all know what Samus can do in a Smash fight, but even that pales in comparison to the legends we've heard about her."

Snake snorted, "Like I give a shit. Besides, they're called 'legends' for a reason."

"Hey, we're just concern-"

"I don't need help," Snake growled at the Hylian as he promptly stood up, meeting each one of his fellow Smashers' eyes with a frigid glare. "From _any_ of you."

He walked off without another word.

* * *

"Rookies," Snake grumbled as he fired off another round from his SOCOM. The satisfying sight of a bullet hole through the bull's eye – right where a person's heart would be – made him feel slightly better. He was thankful he hadn't mentioned the letter he found pinned to his door. He was a legend in his own right – one that could definitely take care of himself. So why should he be scared of some little girl with a metal suit?

_But she did manage to outdo me at my own game last night... _

He shook his head and grumbled some more as he emptied the rest of the clip. To his satisfaction, the human-like outline was riddled with bullet holes, all either through the heart or the forehead.

_As sharp as ever. Master would be proud._

When he overhead Fox McCloud chatting about the firing range in the basement of the mansion two weeks ago, Snake journeyed down there the moment the opportunity arose. From thereon out, it became like a second sanctuary. If he wanted, he could program the computer down here to produce holograms of any enemy he wished. Or he could even try his hand at a few VR missions in the simulation room next door if he was feeling especially spry. But Snake had been feeling nostalgic lately. A basic paper target like the ones from his FOXHOUND days was all he needed. It reminded him of when things were much simpler; before he infiltrated Outer Heaven; before Zanzibar Land; and most of all, before Shadow Moses.

Snake unclipped the ruined paper target and hung up another before sending the hanger zooming back out. He loaded a fresh clip into his SOCOM, prepping himself for round two of his assault on the paper targets.

He didn't bother reacting to the loud clatter of boots walking on the smooth concrete, not even when they paused a few lanes down from him. However, a glimmer of orange in his peripheral vision did catch his attention.

What was_ she_ doing here?

No, it wasn't worth the time. Anyone was welcome in this room, why should he feel threatened? He decided to stash away his SOCOM in exchange for his metallic gray FAMAS assault rifle. As for Samus, Snake thought it best to pretend he didn't notice. Besides, he had to hand it to Master Hand: no matter what type of training supplies he or any other Smasher needed, somehow the oversized white glove would provide.

In fact, it felt as if he could produce things out of thin air…Nah. Magic was ridiculous – mere illusions and parlor tricks. Even Psycho Mantis and Vulcan Raven couldn't fool him. But still…

His thoughts were interrupted by a small whirring sound. He glanced out of the corner of his eyes to notice Samus pressing a few buttons atop the cannon attached to her arm. The entire area was video recorded; he doubted she would try anything until tonight.

_But still, if she came down to see a show..._

With a smirk, he threw on his earmuffs and protective goggles, right before loading his assault rifle with a fresh thirty-round magazine. He took careful aim before unleashing a flurry of bullets in three-round bursts, focusing mostly on the chest area for maximum precision. It wasn't long before Snake managed to drill a hole large enough to fit an entire arm through. Feeling satisfied with his precision, he finished the target off with three rounds to the head. He peered away from the rifle to take a look at his work. The paper target that once resembled a man completely lost all shape, riddled in tears and burn marks left by the bullets that easily breached its exterior.

_Beat that._

He caught a small glimmer of her emerald visor staring in his direction for a moment before Samus went back to her preparations. She stood in front of a holographic keyboard that projected from a nearby panel connected to the VR room. Snake knew that whichever room she decided to train in would prepare her for the battle soon to come, despite the aura of secrecy that loomed around her. Suddenly the door to the VR room opened, and with one final glance, the bounty hunter walked in.

A few minutes went by and Snake still couldn't stop himself from periodically glancing at the door Samus walked though. With a shrug, he began taking his gun apart so he could clean it. After all, it's best to clean your weapons once in awhile.

_Not my concern._

As he wiped the layers of grease from his fingers with a rag, he heard small explosions behind the door and some clattering, and what almost sounded like reptilian screams.

_Damn it all, why not?_

He cursed his curiosity as he stood in front of the large mainframe computer near the door and accessed the cameras from the simulation room. Or at least he tried to access them, only to realize all four cameras emitted a high-pitched static noise, with the words "**IMAGE NOT AVAILABLE**" stretched across the screens in orange bold letters.

Snake slammed both fists into the keyboard. "Damn!"

The explosions grew even louder. He could definitely make out the streaking sound of missiles in there, but he wasn't sure what some of the other noises were. Maybe a railgun of sorts? It didn't sound like blasters, at least not like the kind Fox and Falco used.

Snake didn't realize he had his ear pressed against the door until it hissed open, nearly sending him on a collision course to the ground. He rubbed the back of his head and looked up, only to see his reflection bouncing off the visor of Samus Aran. He froze in place, not sure what to do.

She stared down at him for a few more moments before silently walking out of the room. Suddenly his thoughts were filled with inquiry. Now glancing at the VR room Samus recently left, he wondered what was inside. Snake couldn't help himself; his curiosity got the best of him. With a shrug, he decided a small peek wouldn't hurt. Upon opening the door, he soon realized how mistaken he was.

Though the bounds of his own constitution were being stretched beyond an unbearable amount, his unnerving lust for answers moved his eyes and feet across a darkened cavern where horribly mangled and putrid bodies of vile creatures like none conceived within the mind of any sane man covered the floor of the virtual realm Samus created. The dirt, now drenched with a mixture of blood and intestines, would leave morbid imprints of every step taken across the ghastly tomb in the form of foot-shaped indentions filled with shattered scrapes of bone that latched to the bottom of Snake's combat boots.

Despite the entire area being a part of the virtual reality, the profound stench of fermented bile and feces lingered in the air, forcing Snake to cover his mouth with his shirt. His eyes scanned the area in hopes of discovering his location. Judging by the distorted alignment of stalactites that hung from the ceiling like icicles, along with the thick wall of dried magma, he figured he was underneath a volcano.

He stood in awe of the carnage; the wide display of monsters, all slaughtered mercilessly, showed the bounty hunter truly lived up to the legends. Not even a morsel of leniency was given. Perhaps he _should _be a bit nervous about fighting this girl.

The entire scene would surely rock the constitutions of his friends, or associates, or whichever label his colleagues gave him; however, Snake found himself fascinated with the mysterious painting. The creatures that decorated the floor were bizarre. Some possessed a humanoid appearance with scythe-like blades protruding from the arms, while others looked like a violent cross between a rat and a man. Their bodies were definitely that of a very malnourished human being. Their eyes were like tiny, black, glassy orbs that sunk deep into the back of their hairless, elongated skulls. The ear lobes were stretched to their shoulders and dangled disgustingly. Most shocking of all were the hands. They were perfect replicas of a normal human's hands.

Snakes curiosity quickly amplified into anxiety as he clocked in on a more disturbing creature. It was a great indescribable scarlet mass of limbs that ended in strange appendages far too oddly shaped and corrupted by the violent onslaught of lacerations and debris to serve any possible discernable purpose, and unnaturally colored tentacles scattered around a large, eviscerated gut. The seemingly random placements of the beast's awkward appendages called into question the extent of Master Hand's desire for reality. It was truly frightening. Though the sanity was questionable, the dept Master Hand put into ensuring the realistic feel of a battle scene was quite alluring. Snake couldn't help but be captivated by the intense details. He didn't even want to imagine how the glove managed to accurately portray the faint fragrance that loomed over him.

He prepared to take his leave until a speck of grey hiding among the creature caught his attention. Now possessed by curious determination, he began to rummage through the creatures folded and apparently boneless limbs and extremities in search of the identity of this mysterious figure.

What lay underneath him completely caught him off guard. It was a mutilated version of himself, strewn on the ground with a bewildered look on his face. Small ripples of steam continued to rise from the scorched hole found at the center of his chest.

The image was mortifying. He couldn't believe what he was staring at. It was unimaginably disturbing. _This is horrible_, he thought to himself, _Master Hand got my hair wrong!_

So much for accuracy.

After deciding he had enough sightseeing for one day, Snake made his way out of the room, swiftly hitting the panel behind him to close the door. He scanned the area to make sure nobody was around. He didn't want anyone entering the room, considering he wasn't in the mood to provide first aid to those who would surely go into shock at the grotesque site. Not to mention he would most likely be held accountable for the trauma they would endure afterwards. He then proceeded to erase the simulation and reset the room to normal conditions, just to be safe.

He looked up at the cameras, which were now working, to see a large, white room that stretched beyond the scope of his vision. To his relief, the VR room was now back to normal. However, he noticed a small piece of paper taped to the floor in the center of the room. Suspicious, Snake opened the door and walked over to retrieve it. He found a message scrawled in the same handwriting as the note he found pinned to his door that morning.

**"**❤**See you tonight!**❤**"**

A sudden spark of excitement and anticipation overwhelmed him. "Wow, talk about foreplay!" With a tinge of anxiety, which he recognized as slightly out of character, he found himself lost in a fit of maniacal laughter.

"Oh don't worry, my dear bounty hunter, I look forward to our little date tonight!"

* * *

**Yeah I know, kind of a short update, but I swear things will finally start to get going next chapter! Sorry again for the huge delay, my dear readers. I'd say it won't happen again, but well...I'm not exactly known for keeping those promises. As I said above, this one took me forever, and if it hadn't been for my beta, well...let's just say this chapter would have been the worst one I've written in quite awhile.**

**Yes, I've changed my author name from _halomasterchief_ to _Way of the Sheikah_. I've been planning this for awhile, and if you want to know why, just visit my author profile page. **

**In short, the reason why I've taken such a long hiatus is because I had my last year of college, and that became my full-time priority. I finally graduated in May with my BA, and since then I've been on the job hunt while living back at home, at least for now. The good news is that when I'm not job hunting, working my crappy part-time supermarket job or playing Dragon Age: Origins (so addicting!), I'm writing. **

**While waiting for this chapter I've written my first humor one-shot and a collaboration fic with my beta, not to mention my crossover idea has taken off and should be ready to be unveiled soon. I've also remastered my favorite one-shot, but the big one is that I've finally finished LAH! I'm planning a sequel for it to finish the plot, but don't expect it for some time. I've had ZERO reviews for the last two chapters and kind of want to distance myself from it, so yeah, it will be quite awhile. **

**As for this fic...well, I'm hoping to finish it soon, but I'm still not sure how exactly. I've read through the past few chapters and I'm tempted to just take the entire thing down and repost it chapter-by-chapter in a few weeks after making revisions. It depends on what kind of response I get from this chapter, though. ****So I ask you, readers, would you like me to just keep going, or would you prefer a fresh, revised edition of Heart of Steel? Let me know in a review.**

**On another note, I'd like to focus more on original fiction soon as well. As fun and rewarding as fan fiction is, it won't pay the bills or get my name on highway billboards across the country. ****Anyway, stay tuned to my author page, as I'm constantly keeping everyone up to date in regards to project updates. Please review and subscribe; we authors love it! Finally, thanks to all fans for your support and patience.**

**Until next time,**

**-Sheik**


	9. Chapter 9: A Warrior's Dance

**DISCLAIMER: Yup, don't own Metal Gear Solid or Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Metal Gear Solid belongs to Konami and its sacred creator, Hideo Kojima, and Brawl belongs to Nintendo and HAL Laboratories. I'm just a poor, recent college grad struggling to make his way in this world, who just enjoys "expanding" on other people's ideas. Because seriously, why write anything original? I mean, that would take _way_ too much work. Am I right, Hollywood? Huh? HUH?!**

**Chapter Nine: A Warrior's Dance**

The clock on the wall read five minutes to midnight when Snake entered the stage control room. The twin doors slid shut behind him with a click as the automated lights fluttered to life. The soldier looked around, mildly surprised that he was alone.

_Hmm, guess I'm early._

He moved to one of the computers and switched on the monitor. He skimmed through the vast collection of stages in the database to pass the time before a blinking orange light over one of the four transporters caught his attention.

_...Okay then, maybe I'm_ _**not**_ _early_, Snake thought as he walked into the transporter next to the occupied one, noticing on his way that the touch pad had already been pre-programmed by someone else. He had a hunch as to who exactly that "someone" might be.

The cylinder closed behind him before a bright green light enveloped him. His body de-materialized into pixels and disappeared as the cylinder opened again, the orange light above it now blinking.

* * *

Snake opened his eyes once he felt the digitalization process finish. He moved his limbs and gave his body a quick onceover like always before he was satisfied. He didn't care what the other Smashers said; he didn't trust the system's accuracy at all.

Putting his own grievances aside for the moment, he took in his surroundings. He stood on a walkway in a wide, open room built around a central cylinder. The air tasted stale and metallic, almost like some of the nuclear submarines he had been in during his time in FOXHOUND, and the lighting was dim and flickering. A faint humming sound like a generator came from the center of the room, and the steel walkway he was on was broken into two levels and circled around the room, welded to the thick plating. He thought he noticed some kind of door on the other side, but figured it wouldn't open. Most of the stages he had been on were only comprised of one area, with one or two exceptions.

What really caught his attention, however, was the central cylinder that took up about a quarter of the room. He walked toward it slowly to get a better look. The glass looked reinforced, but he could faintly see a kind of blue energy shield rotating clockwise around it. Normally he would be worried about radiation poisoning or intense heat from an energy shield like this, but he was in a simulated digital environment from a memory, after all.

The occasional golden fork lightning he saw inside the cylinder confirmed his suspicions. He was on some kind of ship, and this was probably the core.

He started to wonder why Samus would bring him to such a place when he heard a sudden explosion and a streaking sound coming from above.

* * *

Samus Aran watched through her Power Suit's visor HUD (Heads Up Display) as Solid Snake materialized into the room.

_Finally! Took him long enough_, she thought. She had been waiting for over an hour, passing the time by watching old combat recordings of her mission on the Space Pirate Frigate _Orpheon_. It was an incident which sparked a long chain of events that would later be known in Federation history as the "Phazon Wars."

Although it was merely a simulation, her recordings had allowed her to create an almost-exact replica of the _Orpheon's_ reactor core, with some notable exceptions. It was the perfect spot for a Super Smash Brothers match.

The bounty hunter watched in silence as the soldier checked himself over before walking around and taking in the environment with an almost child-like wonder. She wasn't surprised considering he had probably never seen such a room in all of his life. She took a moment when he was standing still to switch to her suit's scan visor. The suit was linked directly to her ship's master computer, which handled data management and research from every mission she had ever embarked on.

_**~~~NEW ENTRY ADDED TO LOGBOOK:**_

_**Subject:** Solid Snake_

_**Homeworld:** Unknown_

_**Civilization**: Unknown_

_**Gender:** Male_

_**Species:** Human_

_Outside of accessible public Smasher files, very little is known about the mercenary referred to as Solid Snake. Age estimated around early-to-mid thirties in human years. Subject is skilled with a variety of weapons and hand-to-hand combat. Combat suit is made of a hardened yet lightweight Kevlar material of unknown origin. Armed with a 1995 A.D-era Heckler and Koch MK23 "SOCOM" sidearm on right thigh. Firearm is semi-automatic; fires 11.43x23mm .45 ACP-caliber rounds from a 12-round magazine that can inflict minimal damage to systems with concentrated fire. No abnormal weak points detected; true extent of abilities yet to be determined. Caution is advised._

Samus paused for a moment before lifting her arm cannon to her chest. A holographic, one-handed keyboard came out of it as she typed in a few more things.

_**Samus' Notes:** He can be a womanizer, especiallywhen it comes to attractive females such as myself (or at least, I've been told that I fall into that category by the few males I've ever shown my real face to). Yet, at the same time, previous interactions hint at a deep, inner wisdom—one that only comes from a lifetime of combat. He has a forlorn look in his eyes that one only sees in veteran soldiers. Perhaps that's why I find him so... intriguing. _

_**~~END ENTRY~~**_

She lowered her arm cannon and crouched down as Snake turned towards her direction. He didn't give any sign that he noticed her as he continued looking around.

_I think I've kept him waiting long enough_, she thought with a slight grin as she pointed her arm cannon directly at him, the end of the cannon morphing into a launch tube.

* * *

Instincts kicking in, Snake immediately jumped back as an explosion lit up where he had been moments ago.

He looked up at the catwalk above, searching for his attacker. It was then he spotted an emerald glow from a darkened corner. It walked out of the shadows before somersaulting in the air, landing smoothly on the ledge right above Snake. Samus Aran stood up and looked down at Snake, arm cannon pointed at his head.

_"I see you finally made it,"_ said the deepest masculine voice Snake had ever heard in his life. _"Took you long enough."_

"What can I say? I had to freshen up a bit. You should feel lucky, you know. I don't do that for every pretty face," Snake smirked. "Is the creepy voice supposed to scare me?"

Snake heard an audible click before Samus' real voice came out of the suit as she lowered her arm cannon. "Force of habit. There are certain things about me that I'd rather keep private, not that privacy matters to _you_ of all people."

"It's not every day I see sexy women walking around disguised as robots," he replied. "Speaking of that, where are we? I don't remember this stage in the selection system."

"That's because it's one of my own design," she replied. "Welcome aboard the Space Pirate Frigate _Orpheon_. It'll do nicely for what I have planned for you."

"Planned, huh? Kinky..." Snake grinned. If he could see her face, Snake was sure that Samus was probably rolling her eyes. He fought the urge to follow his comment up with an offer to get the handcuffs; he knew that he was treading on _very_ thin ice as it was.

"The only reason I haven't blasted you into oblivion up until now is because, despite my doubts, many of the Smashers around here keep talking about how good the 'new guy' is," she said before snapping her left fingers. The walkway broke apart from both sides until it was floating in midair, suspended by a propulsion system underneath.

"Considering your reputation and our little skirmish last night, I've decided that I might have underestimated you a bit. I just _had_ to see what all the fuss was about."

Snake felt a small watch materialize around his left wrist. It was the damage indicator used in Smash battles.

"Here's what I propose," Samus continued. "A two-stock match, no time limit, no items, regular conditions. Just you, me, and whatever skills we bring to the Smash Brothers tournament."

"Sounds like fun," Snake smirked, getting into a fighting stance. "I've been curious about you, myself. Your reputation is nothing to sneeze at either, from what I'm told."

"Then let's go, Solid Snake. Show me that you're not just a lecherous loudmouth. Show me a true warrior!"

Samus snapped her fingers again before cocking her arm cannon, pointing it at her opponent. Her damage indicator appeared on the top center of her visor's HUD at _000.0%_ as the automated announcer's voice sounded through the stage.

_**"3...2...1...GO!"**_

* * *

Snake immediately went on the defensive as Samus opened up with a barrage of missile blasts, raining hellfire down on him. A few blasts nicked him, taking his damage up to 23%.

_Already?!_ Snake thought. _Those missiles pack a punch._

He didn't have time to rest as more missiles came his way, though these ones followed him. He ducked and weaved between them as best as he could, all the while trying to spot Samus amidst the explosions.

She was still above him, simply staying where she was and firing missiles as fast as she could at him.

_Let's see what she thinks about **my** toys._

He pulled out a couple of fragmentation grenades and pulled the pins, throwing them with all his might when there was a lull in between missile launches. The missiles stopped after the double-explosion that followed.

_Perfect. My turn._

With only a thought, the remote-control Nikita missile launcher he had used back on Shadow Moses digitally materialized in his hands. He took careful aim and launched, using the mini-joystick and camera to manually control the missile. He found Samus crouched in a prone position, searching through the smoke. She didn't look up until the missile was right on top of her.

_Bingo._

He watched as Samus was blown back through the smoke, clearing the stage ledge and falling through the air. Snake smirked in triumph; one K.O. already and it hadn't even been one minute yet. That armor was impressive, but it looked way too heavy to move fast enough, especially for a woman as skinny as Samus', no matter how toned or athletic she was.

He turned away to wait for his opponent to re-spawn when he heard what sounded like pulsating energy in the distance, as if it were surging through a conduit of some kind.

He turned around again to figure out what it was when he felt like a million volts of raw energy painfully pulsate through his body before being knocked back, far off the stage.

When he re-spawned, another massive energy ball was coming his way. He narrowly dodged it before he caught a glimpse of Samus charging another one.

_So much for the armor theory._

* * *

The match had gone for over twenty minutes and neither side was backing down. Both were down to one stock as Snake unleashed another punch-punch-kick combo while Samus swiftly ducked and tried to sweep his feet out from underneath him. Snake jumped into the air and kicked downward while Samus rolled out of the way.

Snake had forced her to the edge of the stage platform and continued to keep her there. It took him some time, but he started to analyze her attack patterns. While she did have a few moves such as that flashy spinny-thing (as he so cleverly christened it) that spun him into the air and hurt like hell, she wasn't nearly as effective in close-range combat as she was in long range. One good blast from the digital RPG he liked to summon and Samus had been reduced to one stock.

Although he was also down to one stock and now up to 118% damage, Snake wasn't backing down in the slightest. In fact, the match was heating up even more. He hadn't had such an adrenaline rush since he fought Gray Fox hand-to-hand in that minefield all those years ago in Zanzibar Land.

Samus lunged forward with her arm cannon. Snake parried and aimed a roundhouse kick at her head. The blow connected but Samus took the opportunity to plow into the mercenary while he was close. Snake lost his balance and landed on his back, though a skidding sound behind him like metal grinding on metal caught his attention.

The weight at his hip felt lighter. Snake looked down to where his SOCOM was permanently holstered during matches, only to find it missing. He rolled over and looked behind him. His SOCOM was lying right there, ready to use.

_What the hell?_

He didn't have much time to reflect as he heard Samus charging another energy shot from that arm cannon of hers. He quickly got into a crouch and rolled toward the weapon, grabbing it and fingering the safety before swinging back around in a one-eighty, pointing the pistol directly at Samus and pulling the trigger without hesitation.

_BANG!_

* * *

Silence, followed by the soft clatter of a spent shell casing on the catwalk. Samus looked down at the new hole in her Power Suit. The bullet was barely lodged in the breastplate, right where her heart was.

She casually picked it out with her fingers and examined it for a moment. "The hell?"

Of course, a 21st Century projectile of that caliber had no chance of puncturing though her thick armor. But still, if she hadn't been wearing it...

Before she could curse out Snake for using illegal weaponry during their match, the entire room started to shake violently. Samus steadied herself and grabbed onto the railing while she saw Snake do the same.

"What the hell is going on?!" he yelled. But as quickly as it had started, the rumbling stopped. She let go of the railing just as a message in blue lettering flashed across the top of her visor's HUD.

_**~~~WARNING: Change in hologram conditions detected. Smash Brothers Damage Counter System has been deactivated remotely by unknown third party. Attempting reactivation...failed. Unknown third-party has locked out access to hologram mainframe.~~~**_

Samus bit back a curse. Her ship's on-board computer was state-of-the-art; she could only think of a few times when it had ever failed her. She didn't have much time to think about it as another message scrolled across the top of her visor's HUD.

_**~~~WARNING: Physical protection system disabled. All damage sustained henceforth in simulation will be real. Environment threat levels increased to 75%.~~~**_

_That explains why the bullet impacted with my armor, _Samus thought.

"Samus..."

The bounty hunter turned towards the soldier and barely suppressed a gasp. The man suddenly looked like a completely different person. What clouded look in his eyes was back; a look that merely hinted at years of combat and death. The look of a true soldier.

Throughout the battle, Snake had appeared as if he didn't care whether he won or not; either that or he had been holding back the entire time. Even though he fought back even harder the more she pushed him, somewhere in the back of her mind, she wasn't convinced that he was really giving it his all.

But now everything changed. It was like someone had flicked a switch inside of him. Gone was the wisecrack flirt; in his place was something more. Even the way he called out to her sent chills down her back. Was this the soldier of legend she heard so much about? Was this the true Solid Snake?

"What was that quake? And why was I able to use my SOCOM back there? Did the system—"

A bloodcurdling screeching cut him off. Samus looked up just as a greenish, smoking substance rained down from the top of the room. She leaped backward as the acid melted the part of the catwalk where she had been standing.

Another screech. Snake covered his ears while Samus searched around for it. Her eyes widened when her visor zoomed in on the creature making it.

"Shit..." she muttered.

* * *

_Shit..._

Snake was stunned. It looked like a giant bug or parasite of some kind, though much larger. It even put some of the things he saw in Samus' simulation exercise to shame. Acidic drool dropped from the sides of its mouth as it let out another screech.

_Gross...there is no way she intentionally put THIS into the system._

He readied his SOCOM as the disturbing creature scurried down the reactor until it was face to face with the two Smashers. It launched a volley of acidic spit at Snake as he leaped out of the way, breaking into a roll and spinning around. He emptied his clip into the creature's body, though the .45 ACP bullets, although powerful, did little but piss it off even more as it roared at him.

"Samus!" Snake grunted as he released his spent clip and slapped in a fresh one. "Samus? A little help here would be nice! What in the hell _is_ that thing?"

But Samus barely acknowledged him. Actually, it looked as if her entire suit had shut down. She stood still like a statue.

"Damn," he growled as he fired again at the oversized housefly.

* * *

_**~~~CHOZO DEFENDER POWER SUIT v8.0 SYSTEM OVERRIDE INITIATED...DONE. SMASHER RESTRICTIVE MEASURES DEACTIVATED. POWER SUIT SYSTEMS RETURNING TO NORMAL CONDITIONS.**_

_**~~~INITIATING SYSTEM CHECK:**_

_**LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM...**ACTIVE._

_**ENERGY TANK SYSTEM...**ACTIVE._

_**COMBAT VISOR SYSTEM**...ACTIVE._

_**SCAN VISOR SYSTEM**...ACTIVE._

_**POWER BEAM...**ACTIVE._

_**CHARGE SHOT...**ACTIVE._

_**GRAPPLE BEAM...**ACTIVE._

_**MISSILE LAUNCHER...**ACTIVE._

_**MORPH BALL...**ACTIVE._

_**MORPH BALL BOMBS****...**__ACTIVE._

_**SPACE JUMP BOOTS...**ACTIVE._

_**VARIA SUIT...**ACTIVE._

_**POWER SUIT RESTRICTION LEVELS **I** AND **II **LIFTED, LEVELS **III-V** LOCKED. VARIA SUIT SYSTEMS AT 100% OPERATIONAL STATUS.~~~**_

A whir of energy filled her Power Suit as Samus finished inputting the override code. The readouts on her visor's HUD changed to the Combat Visor. The damage counter at the top center disappeared as nine blue squares (her backup Energy Tanks) and a full blue meter below them appeared, the numbers "99" appearing before the bar. On the left side, her missile counter appeared, resetting itself to "200," while on the right side, her hazard meter appeared, though right now it was flashing at 85 percent.

Her arm cannon changed, the powered-down charge-shot version she only used in Smash matches reverting back to a fully-fledged Power Beam capable of rapid and single-fire.

The Smasher was gone. In her place was the most respected and feared bounty hunter in all of the Galactic Federation.

* * *

_**~~~SUBSECTION ADDED—PREVIOUS LOGBOOK ENTRY UPDATED**_

_**Creature: **__Parasite Queen (Frigate _Orpheon_ simulation)_

_**Homeworld: **None_

_**Civilization: **Unknown_

_**Gender: **Female_

_**Species: **Genetically-Enhanced Parasite_

_Parasite Queen–parasite female genetically strengthened due to Space Pirate experimentation with radioactive substance known as Phazon. The Parasite Queen exhibits the ability to fire weapon-grade blasts of energy from its acidic mouth, a trait not present in the standard parasite genome. The creature will violently attack any creature it determines to be a threat. The creature has massive arms and a hulking upper body which dwarves its abdominal region. Powerful jaws filled with razor-sharp teeth account for most of the head._

_Similar to the specimen encountered on the real Frigate _Orpheon_, a weak spot has been detected in the mouth region. Concentrated use of firearms and concussion blasts on vulnerable spot is recommended._

_**~~END ENTRY~~**_

Samus lowered her left hand from the side of her helmet as she finished her scan. She remembered the creature well, having first encountered it on the real Frigate _Orpheon_ in orbit above Tallon IV during the Phazon Wars, so long ago. But why was it even here? She didn't remember ever programming it into this map; in fact she intentionally left it out since it wasn't necessary at all. Who _was_ this "third party" as her ship's computer referred to it?

"Are you done yet? I could _really_ use a hand over here."

She looked over to where Solid Snake was evading acidic spit and firing blindly at the Parasite Queen, reloading when he got a moment. She_ supposed_ she would help him. After all, he did distract the thing long enough for her to prepare.

"Aim for the head!" she yelled as she locked on to the parasite's head and fired rapid-fire shots at it. It bellowed in rage as it turned to face its other attacker. Each time it spit, the acid melted the glass even further, though the energy barrier surrounding the reactor prevented it from escaping or physically reaching out to them.

_Just like last time_, she grinned. If that was the case, this would be a piece of cake.

She continued firing and smoothly evading spit as Snake ran over to her, firing his SOCOM at the head.

"Got anything else other than a pea shooter?" Samus asked, her tone laced with irritation as she fired more Power Beam shots.

"I've got a box," he replied, much to his chagrin. "It's made of cardboard."

She paused, not quite understanding how to react. She lowered her arm cannon and faced him.

"And what am I supposed to do with a cardboard box?!"

"You can hide in it, chuck it at him, though I highly doubt it'll do much." He pulled out the box as if by magic and pointed at the small hole towards the bottom. "Hell, we can both jump in and play fort if you want. All we need is a bit of creative imagination, and suddenly we'll be able to—"

She grabbed the box and threw it on the ground, right before setting it ablaze with a few Power Beam shots. Snake's mouth widened.

"Okay, now you owe me $4.99, and an apology. A _sincere _apology. And if you think I'm going to play fort with you now, you're in for a real surprise because that was _totally _out of line!"

"I'M BEING SERIOUS HERE, YOU IDIOT!"

"Okay look, I tried summoning my other weapons, but they aren't appearing."

"YET YOU MANAGED TO PULL A FREAKING BOX OUT OF YOUR ASS?!"

"Well, there's a trick to that, you see. All you have to do is inject yourself with something to suppress your stomach acids, and—"

"—Just. Shut. Up." she growled.

"Whatever," he shrugged. "So do you mind finally telling me what exactly is going on here?"

Instead of responding, Samus shoved him roughly out of the way as a wad of acid landed where he had been standing a second ago. She switched to her missile launcher and fired three missiles at the Parasite Queen. The impact made it roar in pain.

"In a nutshell, the system's offline. My ship's computer sent me an alert about it. None of our moves or weapons will work here unless they're not already with you, just like in the real world."

"Really now?" Snake asked with a grin. He then brandished a pack of cigarettes.

"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THOSE?!"

"Now Samus, that's the least of your problems," he said with another smirk as he pocketed his treasured smokes before becoming serious again. "But if what you say is true, then why can you use _your_ weapons?"

Samus smirked behind her visor. "This suit _is_ my weapon."

Before Snake could respond with another snide comment, the stage rumbled once again. A message appeared at the top of Samus' visor.

_**~~~WARNING: Reactor barrier deactivated remotely by unknown party. Danger levels increased. Glass durability reduced to 20% efficiency; multiple fractures detected. Breach of containment tube is imminent.~~~**_

"Why's the energy field gone?" Snake asked as he watched the Parasite Queen bash repeatedly into the breaking glass with its head.

"Long story short, we have a hacker problem," Samus replied as she charged her Power Beam, waiting until the ball of nuclear-like golden energy was larger than her cannon. "Watch out for its mouth, it spits acid. Those claws are acidic also, so whatever you do, don't let it touch you. And before you ask, no, this thing isn't part of the original programming. And yes, I've fought it before."

_CRASH!_

The two Smashers watched as the Parasite Queen launched itself out from its container, its mutated claws latching onto the side of the metallic wall.

"Fire!" Samus shouted.

The bounty hunter unleashed the shot she had been saving. Unfortunately she fired prematurely as her shot hit right where the Queen had been a moment ago. She cursed under her breath as she followed up with more rapid-fire shots, Snake firing next to her with his SOCOM as the Queen scurried around the room, avoiding their fire.

Samus ran after it before Snake could stop her, her sights trained on the Parasite Queen's head as she fired a trio of missiles. Two of them flew past their target, but the last one connected with the Queen's head. It let out a mind-numbing screech as it plummeted to the catwalk below, landing on its back. Samus wasted no time and sprinted toward it, firing away with her Power Beam.

Snake watched in complete awe as Samus jumped into a somersault and landed right on the Queen's head, another Charge Shot ready to go. Before she could fire it though, the Queen regained its footing and shook her off, sending her crashing to the steel catwalk.

The bounty hunter went to rise before a leg pinned her chest to the floor. Electricity surged from her Power Suit's systems as her danger levels went through the scale and alarms sounded all around her. She started to panic as she watched each of her twelve Energy Tank levels plummet from 99 to 00. She tried lifting her cannon, but every time she did the Queen roared louder and pressed down even more. It leaned down and moved its acid-dripping teeth right in front of Samus' visor.

_**~~~WARNING: Acidic buildup detected. Energy Tank reserves failing; all systems nearing critical levels.~~~**_

She yelled in rage and pain, trying her hardest to rise. But before the Parasite Queen's acid could puncture through her Power Suit, several small projectiles hit the side of its face and pierced its left eye.

* * *

Snake watched as the hideous monster pinning Samus underneath it bellowed in rage as it looked up at him. He fired off a few more rounds from his SOCOM before he ejected the spent clip and slapped in another.

"Over here, ugly!" he yelled.

The Queen lifted its foot off Samus' Power Suit and ran at him with surprising speed. He kept firing at it before the creature was right on top of him. He rolled out of the way as it skidded to a halt and watched as explosions underneath it took out some of its legs, spewing disgusting lime-green blood everywhere. It cried in pain as it limped toward him.

_Good thing I packed some spare Claymores_, he thought bitterly as he backed slowly away from it. He would much rather have his Nikita rocket launcher in this situation (the Stinger would have been best, but he had lost it after the fight with Metal Gear REX and Liquid). But since he couldn't summon it and the real Nikita was probably ashes right now on Shadow Moses, he had to make do with what he had on his person.

He waited until the creature got ready to lunge again before he ran toward it and broke into another roll, standing back up near the edge of the catwalk. The Parasite Queen snarled and turned around, moving again to him as it spit a few wads of acid. Snake dodged them, but stayed where he was.

_C'mon...just a bit closer..._

He fired at its head again with the SOCOM, egging it closer as he grabbed something else from a rear pocket in his Sneaking Suit. Right as it was just about to swipe at him, Snake launched himself away from the edge and threw a small, rectangular brick at its chest. He was so close to the freak show, he could practically smell the foul odor of the blasted thing.

He landed in a roll as it turned around again, roaring at him. The brick was still there, blinking on its chest.

_Perfect,_ Snake thought as he pulled out the small, black detonator.

"See you in Hell!" he yelled as he pressed the red button. The brick of C4 exploded, the brightness forcing Snake to shield his eyes. When he opened them again, he was stunned.

The freak was still there, barely a scratch on him.

It roared as it started to limp toward him again, ready to spit acid. Snake took out his SOCOM again and fired, spending the rest of his rounds as it stayed put, roaring in rage. He continued pulling the trigger, even when the clip was empty. He was out of options.

_Dammit! That's all I had on me,_ he thought as the beast readied more acid. He braced himself...

_BAM!_

The creature screeched in pain as Snake looked over to his left. Samus was there, Power Suit and all, readying another shot. Right before the monster could regain its footing again, Samus let another powerful energy blast erupt from her cannon at its head. The blast hit it, destroying part of its face. The creature yelled again as Samus calmly walked towards it, finally breaking out into a full-out run as the creature launched acid mixed with blood from its wounds at her. Her cannon charged to maximum as she leaped over the projectiles and landed right on the thing's shoulders.

"Die," she coldly hissed as she fired at point blank range.

Samus descended gracefully off the heavily injured Parasite Queen as it stumbled back and fell over the edge, plummeting down toward the reactor core. She landed with a flourish, just as the Queen disappeared from view.

She lifted her head up to see Solid Snake walking towards her, clapping slowly with a grin on his bearded face.

"Bravo," he said. "I can see why you have a reputation now."

Samus ignored his remark as she slowly stood up, damage reports running down her visor's HUD.

"Soo..." Snake started, "do I at least get a 'thank you' or something?"

Before Samus could respond, a familiar roar sounded behind her. She went to turn around...

"Watch out!"

She felt a force slam against her, knocking her out of the way and onto the catwalk. She heard an agonizing scream just as she got back up.

She saw Snake being dragged across the floor by a familiar acidic claw, the end sticking out of his back and melting away the Kevlar coating of his Sneaking Suit. Without thinking, Samus sprung to her feet, running toward him with her left arm outstretched as she launched herself at him. She slid to the edge, desperately reaching for his right hand.

She brushed his fingers before he disappeared over the edge.

_**"Snake!"**_

* * *

**Um...so yeah, I know you guys probably hate me right now, right? Because that's where I'm leaving it, haha. Thanks so much for being patient with me these past few months, I had a lot happen to me. On here I started a large Code Geass/Gundam Wing crossover project called "Insurrection of the Shooting Star" that took up a good part of my writing time, and while it became a huge hit after only six or so chapters and I loved writing it, I realized that I was biting off way more than I could chew considering how quickly my life is changing right now, so I decided to take it off the site. Recently I decided to repost it at a later date, but for now I'd like to only focus on finishing "Heart of Steel" and posting any short one-shots that might come to mind. Believe it or not, we're just about at the halfway point, and the next two or so chapters will be very important for our favorite soldier and bounty hunter!**

**Many thanks (as always) to _The Stupendous Jimbo_ for beta-ing this story and spicing up some of my dialogue, and please be sure to thank him in your reviews. Speaking of the "r" word, please take the time to leave a review! It helps make the story better, not to mention it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, haha. Be sure to favorite/follow as well so you don't miss out on future updates, and also feel free to check out my author profile for the latest status of the next chapter of Heart of Steel, not to mention my other works. **

**I'm not sure yet when Chapter Ten will be ready, but I have a feeling it won't take nearly as long as this chapter did. As you can tell, this one really took me awhile, and I hope you all enjoyed it.**

**One more thing: I try my hardest to respond to reviews when I get them, but I might have forgot a few during the last review cycle. If I did please don't be offended, because I read every review I receive and I'm trying to get into the habit of responding when I get them. Know that I appreciate them though either way! **

**Okay, again thanks for the support, all. Until next time, dear readers!**

**-Sheik**


	10. Chapter 10: The Illusive Man

**DISCLAIMER:**** In case you haven't figured it out by now, I am NOT the owner of Metal Gear Solid or Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Metal Gear Solid belongs to Konami and the legendary Hideo Kojima, and Brawl belongs to Nintendo and HAL Laboratories. I just like to play around in their worlds and entertain a few people along the way. **

**Chapter Ten: The Illusive Man**

The steady beeping of the heart monitor eased her troubled mind as Samus paced back and forth in her Power Suit. She cradled the helmet in her left arm while Dr. Mario finished his post-operation assessment. The past few hours continued replaying themselves over and over in her mind. In particular, how the soldier in front of her, looking so vulnerable now without his equipment, came to survive one of the worst injuries she ever saw inflicted upon a fellow human.

* * *

_**"Snake!"**_

_Samus willed her hand to extend further as she slid across the steel plating of the catwalk. But it was too late. Just as his fingertips disappeared, she was finally there._

Damn it!

_Yet another innocent lost to an abomination engineered by the Space Pirates. If only they hadn't created the original Parasite Queen..._

_**"Gah!"**_

_She stopped, her breath catching in her throat. It was a weak, male voice. With her last bit of strength, she used her left hand to pull herself toward the catwalk's edge. She peered over it, and what she saw defied all known survival estimates. It was nearly impossible, but yet there he was._

_She saw Solid Snake clinging to a broken support beam (most likely damaged when the Parasite Queen fell to her demise), only about a meter or so from the top. There was a ragged gash across his entire backside, leaking a sickly mixture of crimson human blood and lime-green pus. Samus inwardly grimaced, yet she didn't focus too much on it. _

_"Hang on!" she yelled, activating the grapple beam under her arm without even waiting for his acknowledgement. Mentally, she made sure to dial down the power so that it wouldn't shock Snake. The glowing cobalt beam shot out and attached itself to one of his hands. She watched him grab onto the beam as she flicked her wrist, the movement signaling the device to reel back. _

_The VI (Virtual Intelligence) in her ship linked to her suit and compensated for the extra weight that Snake brought about as he hung freely in midair. Normally Samus wouldn't have an issue lifting the mercenary with her grapple beam, but the recent battle left her battered and horribly strained. With one more exasperated grunt, she finally managed to roll the unconscious Snake over the ledge._

_Gasping for air, she examined him. "You could really do well to lose a couple of pounds..." she muttered, switching to her Scan Visor._

_**WARNING: Heart rate of subject erratic, blood loss significant, life signs failing. Recommend immediate medical attention.**_

No shit,_ she cursed as she activated a hacking module to override the simulator's systems. A few minutes later, the simulation finally ended._

* * *

Having been officially known as a professional bounty hunter for more than eight years now, Samus had seen some horrid sights in her life. But Snake's repulsive wound ranked at least in the top twenty. She had literally sprinted to the hospital wing while ordering her ship's VI to page Mario to his office.

That was three hours ago. All that time she waited while the leader of the Smashers operated, carefully stitching Snake's backside back together and treating any infections the acidic saliva might have caused with megavitamins and antibiotics. It wasn't a commonly known fact, but despite all rumors to the contrary, Mario really was an accomplished doctor.

_I guess stomping on the heads of turtles for a living pays better,_ she mused

While she waited, she had commanded her VI to search for any remaining traces of the hacker, or hackers, responsible for the simulator incident. Unfortunately, all lingering "backdoors" were wiped from the system, including surveillance footage. Not many people outside of the Federation's top brass and the higher-ups in the OFI (Office of Federation Intelligence) knew about the Parasite Queen and her mission on Tallon IV, which disturbed her even more.

There was something else on her mind as well; in particular, the man in front of her. She couldn't deny it no matter how much she tried. Not only was she nearly pushed to her limits, but also for some odd, illogical reason, she was actually _enjoying_ it. It only caused her to feel even more conflicted.

_Why did he save me?_ she thought as she stared down at the soldier's still form, steadily breathing under the oxygen mask he wore. _He's a cocky son of a bitch and a damn good opponent; I'll give him that. But I'd never peg him for the selfless type. I wonder if he would have done the same thing if he knew what I knew..._

"Okey-dokey, artichokey**," **Dr. Mario sighed as he took off his stethoscope. "He's going to be okay, though he'll be stuck here for a few days while his body fights off the infection. The stitches will have to stay in until the end of the week, so no fighting at least until then. He has a few cracked ribs also, but those should heal with time."

Samus let out a breath she didn't even realize she had been holding. She felt...relief?

Mario turned back to Samus with a troubled frown. "If what you told me is true, he's incredibly lucky to be alive right now."

"He is," Samus confirmed. "The venom in the saliva from a genetically-engineered Parasite Queen is fatal after prolonged exposure. I saw plenty of victims when I first encountered it. My ship's VI has a theory that Snake's 'Sneaking Suit,' as he calls it, helped negate some of the effects. I'm just surprised malicious code could even go as far as to replicate organic damage, even bacterial injuries. I've never seen anything like it."

Mario nodded as he took off his surgical gloves and threw them in a biohazard waste basket before turning back to Samus with a stern look. "I haven't either, Samus. And before you ask, I don't blame you for what happened in there. I know you better than that. But some of the others will think you did this to him intentionally. I just hope you're prepared for the fallout this might cause. You know how much attention Snake's been attracting lately."

Samus smirked. "I can handle it, doc. A few more glares in my direction won't bother me too much."

Mario simply shook his head. "If you say so, though I'm more interested in this mysterious hacker of yours. I took the liberty of contacting Master Hand; he has several techs working on it. Plus, Fox called in a few favors on Corneria to bolster our firewalls and contingency protocols."

The plumber crossed his arms with a dark look. "We're in the middle of a tournament; many Smashers use that room daily for their training. What if this hacker tries again?"

"I'm looking into it. Not many of my enemies know that I'm a Smasher, but there's still one or two that might."

_In fact,_ she thought, thinking back to her current job, _considering the circumstances and who was involved, I might know __**exactly**__ who it was. _

"Actually doc, can you watch over Snake for an hour while I'm gone, just in case?" she asked as she locked her helmet back into place. _"I have a call to make."_

* * *

Liquid Snake relished the sweet taste of his cigar as the smoke left his lungs.

Father always enjoyed his cigars, so Liquid thought to give them a try back when he was a simple soldier in the Middle East. Since then, he had developed quite a liking for them. Much more...civilized than cigarettes.

_Not bad_, he thought as he examined it before putting it back between his teeth. _At least the future hasn't forgotten how to make quality cigars. _

He kicked up his boots atop the oak table in the small hotel room he was renting with his comrade with a relaxed sigh.

It really wasn't so bad being stuck in a parallel universe, and a futuristic one at that. It had taken him some time to gather his bearings, including performing a few odd jobs to amass a small foothold in the criminal underworld on what this so-called "Galactic Federation" referred to as Neo-Earth. But unlike his old world, he wasn't confined to just one planet. There were so many diverse cultures, star systems, even galaxies to choose from; it was the perfect fresh start.

There were no politics, no _Les Enfants Terrible_ project, no United States to worry about. Hell, the possibilities were endless!

And the best thing about being stuck in this parallel universe was that he wasn't alone. Not only had Ocelot been brought here with him, but also his troublesome "brother."

Oh yes, vengeance would be sweet. Now that the first die had been cast, Liquid planned on savoring every morsel of his revenge, right up until the climatic finale. And only then, when his brother was nothing but a miserable shell of a human practically begging for a bullet to the head, would he prove that possessing dominant genes didn't always guarantee victory.

_You stole everything from me, Snake,_ Liquid thought maliciously, nearly crushing his cigar when he remembered Shadow Moses. _You always were Father's favorite. Why else would I be sent to the Middle East, away from his side? He was ashamed of me! I'll prove once and for all that his attention was wasted on you. Not only will I rip you apart, piece by bloody miserable piece, but I'll fulfill his dream. Outer Heaven won't simply be a nation; it will be a glorious empire spanning countless star systems!_

His thoughts were interrupted by a beeping at his desk's console. Thinking it might be Ocelot, he pressed the "answer" button. Instead of Ocelot's aged face, a humanoid combat helmet with an emerald visor appeared on the screen.

Liquid smirked; he had a feeling _she_ might call.

_Looks like the hackers Ocelot hired did their job, _he grinned inwardly. He'd have to remember to congratulate the former Soviet agent when he returned from his current mission. Finding agents who could infiltrate the Federation's OFI, not to mention the Smash Brothers mainframe, was no easy task.

_"You bastard,"_ the mechanized behemoth hissed in a computerized voice. _"What in the hell are you playing at?"_

"Oh?" Liquid asked, feigning ignorance. "Whatever do you mean?"

_"You know exactly what I'm talking about,"_ Samus seethed. _"We agreed that I'd do things my way; it's only been one month. That simulator stunt was never part of our arrangement. I thought you wanted him alive!"_

"You're correct. However, you can't argue with results."

_"What?"_

_Oh this will be fun,_ Liquid smiled. "Tell me, how is my dear brother?"

"_What? Your...brother?"_

"Yes, he's my brother. The minor details don't concern you, but I can assure you, we are indeed related."

_"Then why? What's the purpose behind this?"_ Samus demanded.

"I'm afraid, dear Samus, that my reasons weren't part of our deal. In layman's terms, mind your own goddamn business."

_"You son of a—"_

"Now, now. Let's not be hasty," Liquid placated. "But again, I must ask, how is he?"

_"He's alive...barely,"_ she seethed.

"So only mostly dead, then? It warms my heart to hear that," Liquid chucked with a grin. "It would have been a shame if he had died before we had the chance to reunite with one-another. He always was a survivor."

_"So it _was_ you,"_ she growled _"I want to know how you found out about the Parasite Queen. All information regarding the Tallon IV incident is classified by the OFI."_

"Oh, I have my ways," he teased. "But really, dealing with it shouldn't have been a problem for you. You did destroy the original, after all."

_"Your intervention was unnecessary. I have this job perfectly under control!"_

"I don't doubt that, my dear," he purred. "I was simply moving things along at, shall we say, a quicker pace. Or a kick in the behind, as it were. Let's call it incentive."

_"Your 'incentive' nearly got Snake killed!"_

"Perhaps I actually want him dead," Liquid lowered his voice, staring at the bounty hunter. It was hard to study her face through that helmet, but if one looked closely enough, her widened eyes were visible behind the glass. He stared at her for a moment before flashing a wicked smile. "He saved you, didn't he?"

_"And what if he did?"_

"Because that's the kind of person he is. He might act cold, as if he doesn't care about anyone but himself, but deep down, my dear brother is a softie. He has this irrational need to save as many people as he can, even at the expense of his own life. It's sickening, really. Tell me, what does he owe you, after all? He doesn't know you; your past, your present. He's a nobody compared to you."

_"What are you getting at?"_

"Oh, nothing, forget about it," Liquid said with a wave of his hand. "But let's return to our situation. Maybe I did get a bit...carried away," he smirked again. "Since it upset you so greatly, I'll let you handle your end of our arrangement on your own, just as you ask. But remember, you have only two more months to deliver results, else you can kiss those credits good-bye. And don't try to tell me you don't need this job, Aran. I know how the Federation has been passing you over for contracts ever since the Bottle Ship incident."

_"You—"_

"But I shouldn't be talking about that now, should I? We wouldn't want the truth of what happened to become public knowledge, right? Why, think of how the galaxy would perceive your precious Federation if that happened. I mean, really? Bio-engineering illegal weapons? And let's not forget about poor Commander Malkovich..."

_"Don't you __**dare**__ say his name, you bastard!"_

"Did I strike a nerve? My apologies," Liquid smirked. "Regardless, I think we've reached an understanding. If you don't fulfill your end of our contract, I'll release all of the Federation's dirty little secrets involving you and your so-called 'classified missions' to the entire galaxy. And I assure you, I'm not bluffing. You know that I have information about Tallon IV and the Bottle Ship. I also read about Zebes, Aether, the Phazon War, SR388...even the Alimbic Cluster incident."

Samus growled, her eyes narrowing behind her visor. Liquid couldn't hide his grin if he wanted to. It was far too much fun riling up this woman.

_"...Agreed_."

"Good. Now, despite what you may think, I'm a reasonable man. In exchange for your continued cooperation, I'll even double your second payment. You did perform an admirable job of keeping my brother alive, after all. Now, I believe our business is concluded. Good day, Miss Aran. I'll be in touch."

Before she could respond, he killed the feed. Chuckling to himself, he picked up his forgotten cigar in the ash tray and put it back in his mouth, taking out a lighter from his leather trench coat pocket and relighting it.

_Two months, Snake,_ he mused. _Enjoy your time with Miss Aran. Let's hope she lasts longer in your company than Campbell's niece._

* * *

Night blanketed the hospital wing when Samus returned. Dr. Mario had met her at the entrance to let her know that there were no changes. He predicted that Snake would be awake in the morning, but until then, it was simply a matter of monitoring his condition.

Her eyes immediately found Snake's sleeping form when she entered; free of machines now, thankfully. The pressure underneath her helmet's seals hissed as she unlatched them. She walked over to Snake's bed, setting down her helmet on the nightstand next to it.

For someone who, just hours ago, exuded the cool, calculated intensity of a combat veteran, Solid Snake almost looked at peace. In a way, she envied him. Her checkered past only brought her nightmares and restless sleep almost every night. She couldn't remember one time when she hadn't woken up in her quarters drawing the plasma pistol she hid underneath her pillow.

She let out a long sigh, reaching out a finger to gently brush away a stray hair from his forehead.

_As much as I hate that guy, I don't have a choice. As much as I can't stand them, the Federation is the only thing holding my galaxy together. If its allies, let alone its citizens, ever learned about some of the things I've had to deal with, there'd be widespread chaos. The Federation would crumble, and intergalactic commerce would be a thing of the past,_ she frowned as she watched him dream, unaware of what she would ultimately have to do to him.

_One life sacrificed to save millions more. I have a feeling you'd know exactly what I'm talking about, Snake. Now I wish I had never taken this job._

* * *

_***creeps out from behind corner, holding up Hylian Shield***_

**Umm...hi everyone! Long time no see, right? **

_***dodges arrows, fireballs, bullets, other projectiles***_

**Ack! Okay, okay, I'm sorry! I took far too long to update, I know. I'm a terrible person...but I'm only human.**

**In all seriousness, I lost interest in this story for awhile and moved on to other projects (mainly my Code Geass/Gundam Wing crossover and my Mass Effect romance drama, "Solace Before the Storm."), not to mention I got a serious case of writer's block whenever I wanted to start this again. Factor in real life problems, and well, you get a bad mix of reasons why I dragged my feet. I can't thank you all enough for sticking by me and being patient. I swore I'd finish this story one way or another, and I mean it. Actually, I don't see this going for more than seven to ten chapters. I'm going to outline the rest sometime next week, so hopefully that'll make it easier for me to update.**

**I'm not sure when the next chapter will be posted, but I'll try not to make it nearly as long of a wait as last time. Many thanks to all readers/reviewers/subscribers as always, and an extra special thank you to my beta for encouraging me and taking the time to edit my work. This story wouldn't look nearly as good as it does now without him! **

**Anyway, please remember to review so I know how I'm doing and what you all think.**

**Until next time,**

**-Sheik**


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